Modifying the Iraq AUMF

Brilliant, Hillary bellows and the minions scurry to comply.

Leading U.S. Democrats vowed on Sunday a push to revise President George W. Bush's 2002 authorization to wage war in Iraq, as a way to raise pressure for a change in strategy.

Undeterred by Senate Republicans who blocked a resolution opposing Bush's troop buildup in Iraq, Democrats in control of Congress pledged to challenge Bush anew by seeking a mandate that the mission of U.S. troops does not include interceding in a civil war.

"We'll be looking at modification of that (war) authorization in order to limit the mission of American troops to a support mission instead of a combat mission," Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin, a Michigan Democrat told "Fox News Sunday."

Well, they may not be minions, just similar things found under the same rock. Looks like other presidential hopefuls crawled out from under the rock to make statements.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Joseph Biden said Congress should "repeal and restate the president's authority" to make clear that the U.S. mission in Iraq is "to protect against al Qaeda gaining chunks of territory, (and) training the Iraqi forces."

Biden, a Delaware Democrat and presidential hopeful, spoke on CBS television's "Face the Nation."

How do they propose to stabilize Iraq in order to "protect against al Qaeda" if a civil war overwhelms the largest population centers? If US troops aren't involved in enforcing security then al Qaeda will in fact gain ground.

Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, a potential presidential candidate who has broken with most fellow Republicans in opposing the troop buildup, told NBC's "Meet the Press" that he was open to considering a proposal by a Democratic war opponent that would attach strings to future funding.

"We need to have that debate," Hagel said of the proposal, by Rep. John Murtha of Pennsylvania, to require that troops sent to Iraq be fully trained and equipped and to set time limits on combat assignments.

Great, I was wondering when the Murtha plan reared its ugly head. Wonder when the discussion of the constitutionality of that will come up? I wonder if Bush would be honest enough to veto such a plan attached to the funding he has requested?

The more they talk, the more certain I am that Iraq will fail. Not that the Dems will accept any responsibility, though they daily affect the outcome. If they pass a modification to the AUMF, they will have cut a slice of responsibility that they won't be able to deny.