The Democrats Slow-Bleed Strategy
KRISTOL, WILLIAM
EDITORIAL The Democrats' 'Slow-Bleed' Strategy February 26, 200 Politicians often say foolish things. Members of both parties criticize cavalierly and thunder thoughtlessly. They advance...
...But it is disgraceful...
...Jack] Murtha, the powerful chairman of the defense subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee, will seek to attach a provision to an upcoming $93 billion supplemental spending bill for Iraq and Afghanistan...
...The slowbleed strategy will, however, stain the reputation of its champions, and of the useful idiots in both parties who have gone along with it...
...position in Iraq, and America’s standing in the world, by raising doubts as to our commitment in Iraq without advancing an alternative...
...The House strategy is being crafted quietly...
...But surely they should not fecklessly try to weaken the U.S...
...That’s a standard Murtha believes few of the units Bush intends to use for the surge would be able to meet...
...The Murtha plan intends to block further relief and reinforcement for American troops, leaving them exposed and unable to succeed...
...We’re not hand in glove...
...Democrats are entitled to doubt this will work...
...President Bush is sending reinforcements to join our soldiers fighting in Iraq...
...It would restrict the deployment of troops to Iraq unless they meet certain levels of adequate manpower, equipment and training to succeed in combat...
...It’s kind of an ingenious thing...
...But most of our politicians, most of the time, stop short of knowingly hurting the country...
...The national Democratic party has become the puppet of antiwar groups...
...So the nonbinding resolution is only the first step in the slow-bleed strategy...
...I don’t know how you vote against Murtha,” said Andrews...
...John Bresnahan’s Politico.com report continues: Anti-war groups like [Tom] Mazzie’s are prepared to spend at least $6.5 million on a TV ad campaign and at least $2 million more on a grass-roots lobbying effort...
...But it is the Democratic party that now seems willing to commit itself, en masse, to a foreign policy of foolishness and weakness...
...What comes next are legislative restrictions and budgetary limitations designed to cripple our effort in Iraq...
...The leaders of those groups believe their slow-bleed strategy is “kind of an ingenious thing...
...Andrews, who met with Murtha on Tuesday to discuss legislative strategy, acknowledged “there is a relationship” with the House Democratic leadership and the anti-war groups, but added, “It is important for our members that we not be seen as an arm of the Democratic Caucus or the Democratic Party...
...They are entitled to move legislation in Congress to compel such a withdrawal, on a schedule and with provisions that seem to them appropriate...
...Mazzie also said anti-war groups would field primary and general election challengers to Democratic lawmakers who do not support proposals to end the war...
...Tom Andrews, DMaine, head of the Win Without War Coalition...
...They are entitled to conclude the whole cause is hopeless or unjust—and that we should withdraw from Iraq as soon as possible or on some other more responsible timetable...
...As Politico.com reported Thursday: Top House Democrats, working in concert with anti-war groups, have decided against using congressional power to force a quick end to U.S...
...They advance irresponsible suggestions and embrace mistaken policies...
...No, the Democrats and the antiwar groups shouldn’t “be seen” as “hand in glove...
...Watching developments in Congress this past week, though, one has to ask: Can that be said any longer about the leadership of the Democratic party...
...In our judgment, it will fail as a political strategem, it will fail to derail the president’s policy—and we will ultimately prevail in Iraq...
...Vulnerable GOP incumbents . . . will be targeted by the anti-war organizations, according to Mazzie and former Rep...
...For the nonbinding resolution passed by the House Friday is merely the first round...
...In truth, it’s not really so “ingenious...
...Some seem to welcome it...
...These groups do not merely accept—reluctantly—American defeat in the Middle East...
...The fact that some Republicans have embraced this resolution does not excuse the Democratic party for its virtually monolithic support of it...
...Surely Democrats (and fellow-traveling Republicans) will turn back from this path while they still have time to save some of their honor...
...Additional funding restrictions are also being considered by Murtha...
...They seek to hasten it...
...That is precisely what they are doing with the nonbinding resolution condemning the dispatch of additional troops to Iraq...
...But they are...
...But the antiwar groups won’t make it easy...
...William Kristol...
...Rep...
...The GOP has its share of fools and weaklings...
...involvement in Iraq, and instead will pursue a slow-bleed strategy designed to gradually limit the administration’s options...
Vol. 12 • February 2007 • No. 23
