Washington – More than two years after the Iraq invasion, America seems to be losing its stomach for war.
With polls finding support for the Iraq war at a record low, members of Congress are becoming increasingly vocal about their desire for an exit strategy. On Thursday, 41 House Democrats formed a new “Out of Iraq” caucus.
Separately, four lawmakers – two Democrats and two Republicans – introduced a resolution calling for withdrawal starting in October 2006. It doesn’t specify an end point for complete withdrawal, but it bucks the Bush administration line all the same.
Its sponsors include Rep. Walter Jones, R-N.C., a conservative whose district includes the Marine Corps’ Camp Lejeune.
He’s hardly a stereotypical dove; in the early days of the war, Jones’ anger over French opposition prompted him to propose replacing French fries with “freedom fries” on the menu in Capitol dining rooms.
Resolution supporters said it has little chance of passage in the Republican-controlled Congress. They said their goal was to start a national debate on bringing home the 140,000 U.S. troops in Iraq. More than 1,700 Americans have died since President Bush ordered the invasion on March 19, 2003.
“Do we want to be there 20 years, 30 years? That’s why this resolution is so important: We need to take a fresh look at where we are and where we’re going,” Jones said at a Capitol news conference.
The resolution’s other sponsors are Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas; Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio; and Rep. Neil Abercrombie, D-Hawaii.
The fledging anti-war movement is a long way from the groundswell of opposition that rose up against the Vietnam War in the late ’60s, but Bush is concerned enough to step up efforts to rally public support.
Bush will welcome Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari to the White House next week. He also plans a series of speeches on his goals in Iraq.
“People are concerned about the situation in Iraq,” White House spokesman Scott McClellan said Thursday. “The president wants to see the troops come home soon. But the best way to honor the service and sacrifice of our men and women in uniform is to complete the mission.”
At the Pentagon, Defense Department officials and military commanders said talk of withdrawal could undermine U.S. troop morale and encourage Iraqi insurgents. They declined to predict when U.S. troops might come home or offer any clear yardstick for victory.
A recent Gallup poll found a majority of Americans – 59 percent – favor partial or total withdrawal. In another sign of ebbing support, only 42 percent felt that the war was worth it, down from a high of 76 percent in the war’s early days.
Military leaders fear that an anti-war movement will send the wrong signal to Iraqi insurgents.
“They know our history, just like we study them,” said Lt. Gen. James Conway, director of operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff. “…Nothing would make them happier, I suppose, than to think that there is a deadline out there.”
