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Analysis: War Games in Congress

Council on Foreign Relations

Updated: June 16, 2006
Prepared by: Robert McMahon

In some ways, the theater of war shifted from Iraq to the halls of Congress this week as Republicans and Democrats clashed over U.S. policy (NYT) and their own motivations in trying to address the Iraq conflict. In the House of Representatives, the battle was over a symbolic resolution recognizing the Iraq campaign as a key part in the U.S.-led "global war on terror" (PDF). It was introduced by Republicans, in part, to show the Democrats' lack of resolve on security matters, and passed Friday, 256-153, along mostly partisan lines. This week's session offered the first chance for the House to formally debate military operations in Iraq since before the war. But Democrats cried foul, saying the resolution provided cover for administration mistakes in Iraq (LAT).

Over in the Senate, Republicans sought to preempt Sen. John Kerry's (D-MA) plan to propose a withdrawal from Iraq, offering a resolution testing that idea. The measure was overwhelmingly defeated, but Kerry said he would formally introduce his plan next week. Separately, two Democratic senators proposed a resolution urging President Bush to oppose amnesty for Iraqis who have killed American soldiers (Miami Herald). Republicans charged it was an attempt to embarrass the administration, which has been touting the formation of an Iraqi national unity government.

The debates did reveal concerns about the Iraq campaign from both parties and put elected officials on the record in a big election year. Democrats, eyeing electoral gains due to public dissatisfaction over the war, face internal divisions as well, says Ivo Daalder, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.

Read the rest of this article on the cfr.org website.

Copyright 2006 by the Council on Foreign Relations. This material is republished on GlobalSecurity.org with specific permission from the cfr.org. Reprint and republication queries for this article should be directed to cfr.org.