War-Weary Dems Face Heat From Left and Right

(CNSNews.com) - Don't go wobbly on us, liberal activists are telling "nervous" Democrats in Congress, as those Democrats mull the best way to stop what many of them describe as President Bush's war.

"Congress has the power to stop the war, but some representatives are afraid to use it," MoveOn.org said in a message to its supporters. "As the [Democratic] caucus meets and debates, we need to remind them that stopping the escalation and ending the war is what they were elected to do."

The only sure way for Congress to stop the war is to cut off funding for it, an idea that many lawmakers don't like because it would put them in the position of failing to support the troops.

Liberal activists say "politics" is clouding the issue for some Democrats who want to cast the war as "Bush's problem."

MoveOn.org called it a "failure of leadership" for Democrats to refuse to take steps that would block the troop surge and begin to end the war. "The truth is, Democrats will be responsible for the war only if they do nothing to stop it," the group said.

MoveOn.org is trying to mobilize public support for measures aimed at stopping the "escalation" in Iraq. "Some Democrats are pushing to water down those measures -- essentially letting the president off the hook," the group said.

"Voters elected Democrats in November to end the war. Right now, it's clear that they're not doing enough. There are no compromises on stopping the escalation."

'Slow bleed'

House Democrats are said to be divided on the best way to force a change in President Bush's war strategy.

As Cybercast News Service reported earlier, anti-war Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.) wants to "limit the options of the president" by requiring troops to spend a year at home before returning to battle. He also wants to set training and equipment requirements for troops and prevent combat tours from being extended.

"Now, if they can't extend people, if they can't send people back that don't have equipment and so forth, they can't continue the surge," Murtha was quoted as saying in mid-February.

Several weeks ago, House Democrats did pass a nonbinding resolution opposing the troop buildup. But since then, they've been unable to agree on binding measures.

On Wednesday, House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) said House Democrats should stop "undermining our troops" and stop trying to "micro-manage" the global war on terror.

"Congress has a responsibility to provide America's troops with the resources and flexibility necessary to complete their mission. Our focus must be on supporting our troops in harm's way -- without strings attached -- not on using a military spending bill as an excuse to fund pork-barrel projects and other unrelated projects."

Boehner said Republicans will fight efforts by Democrats to attach conditions to the military spending bill that would make it more difficult for U.S. troops to successfully complete their mission and return home safely.

"In the seven weeks following the announcement of a new strategy for victory in Iraq, Democrats have failed to articulate a coherent vision for either victory or withdrawal; they've offered only a 'slow bleed' strategy that would slowly choke off the funding and reinforcements our troops need to successfully complete their mission," Boehner said.

"Placing arbitrary and punitive political hurdles before any commander-in-chief during a time of war -- especially under the guise of supporting our troops -- is wrong, and it is reckless," Boehner added.