War On The White House

Bush isn't going to back down but neither are his opponents.:

"The resolution stated in part that 'it is not in the national interest of the United States to deepen its military involvement in Iraq, particularly by escalating U.S. troop presence in Iraq.'

While the resolution would mainly have a political impact — and place Republican lawmakers in the awkward position of defying President George W. Bush or endorsing a troop increase that is unpopular with the public — other Democrats vowed Wednesday to push for even tougher measures.

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, just back from Afghanistan and Iraq, called for a cap on the number of American troops in Iraq and for an increase in the number in Afghanistan. Senator Christopher Dodd of Connecticut said he would introduce legislation requiring the president to seek congressional authorization before any further troop increase in Iraq.

Dodd's proposal drew a sharp response from Snow, the spokesman, who said, 'To tie one's hand in a time of war is a pretty extreme move.'

Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, the Republican who sponsored the nonbinding resolution along with Senator Joseph Biden of Delaware and Senator Carl Levin of Michigan, said that he would 'do everything I can to stop the president's policy as he outlined it Wednesday night.' He called the plan 'dangerously irresponsible.'

Because Hagel has long been critical of the administration's handling of the war, his position was not entirely surprising. More worrisome for Bush was the reaction of a moderate Republican senator, Olympia Snowe of Maine, who said she was considering supporting the resolution.

The White House, working to avoid further defections, summoned several other Republicans to a meeting. It later declined to name them, although Senator Richard Lugar of Indiana, a foreign- policy expert, said that he was among those invited."

This is going to be good.