The House of Representatives is going to be spending the next three days debating a non-binding resolution that opposes the President’s escalation of the war in Iraq. It will have an effect on the national discourse, but probably little more than that. However, it is illuminating to see the Republican reaction. Let’s take a look at the GOP talking points.
Democrats have very pointedly promoted the nonbinding measure as a direct challenge to the president, a theme that is sure to run through Democratic comments in the debate this week.
But there will probably be little praise for the president from the Republican side of the aisle.
While acknowledging that “mistakes were made,” a set of talking points sent out Monday by Republican leaders to their members does not include a single clear endorsement of Bush’s strategy.
Rather, they focus on putting Iraq in the context of the global war against terrorism, criticizing Democrats as weakening troop morale and challenging Democrats to cut off funding if they oppose the president.
So, here they are:
- 1. Iraq is part of a larger Global War on Terror.
2. Criticizing the escalation hurts the troops’ moral (and emboldens the terrorists).
3. If we really oppose the escalation we should cut off funds (even though the GOP would use procedural shenanigans to prevent that).
We have a serious foreign policy problem. And the GOP is opting to go for misinformation and schoolyard taunts to back up a President that they are afraid to directly support.
This is a totally bankrupt position to take. And the GOP is going to pay heavily for it. Very heavily.
