"Senate Republicans Pushing for a Plan on Ending the War in Iraq" - excerpt: "The proposal on the Iraq war, from Senator Bill Frist, the majority leader, and Senator John W. Warner, Republican of Virginia, chairman of the Armed Services Committee, would require the administration to provide extensive new quarterly reports to Congress on subjects like progress in bringing in other countries to help stabilize Iraq."
This is HORRIFYING STUPID MOVE BY THE GOP LEADERSHIP IN THE SENATE: it plays into the hands of the Dems; it's BAD POLITICS; and a BAD SIGNAL TO SEND THE ENEMY. SO why are they doing it?
Because Frist and McCain are BOTH TRYING to position themselves as MODERATES for a 2008 run - and trying to OUTMANEUVER each other: McCain with his ASSSINE and UNNECESSARY anti-torture amendment and now Frist - by allowing this proposal to go forward. This is EXACTLY why it's a BAD BAD BAD BAD thing for the Majority Leader to be a candidate for the White House: Frist is putting his OWN AMBITION AHEAD OF THE PRESDIENT'S POLICIES AND MORE IMPORTANTLY - THE WAR EFFORT. Frist should take the "SHERMAN STATEMENT" or RESIGN AS LEADER AT ONCE. More HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE. And HERE.
UPDATE: Here's an astute observation by a commenter at Polipundit:
The Senate this fall:Alito hearings: next yearCutting pork: Hell noKeep the tax cuts: Do we have to?Now this.Is Frist working for the other party?
Comment by Ironman Email
UPDATE #2 - Though THE ANCHORESS has other fascinating thoughts on the matter: that this is a SHREWD STRATEGIC MOVE - PERHAPS COORDINATED WITH THE WHITE HOUSE; A MOVE AIMED AT "HEADING OFF" THE DEM ATTACK. Go there and RWTW! UPDATE #3 - I like what LIEBERMAN said about the LEVIN AMENDMENT/the Dem/Left timetable bill (Lieberman is my favorite liberal hawk. My second favorite is McCain!) -- EXCERPT:
"I like the way in which the Warner amendment recited again the findings that led us to war against Saddam Hussein and, quite explicitly, cited the progress that has been made. I do think Senator Levin's amendment doesn't quite do this part enough, about the progress, particularly among the political leaders of Iraq. They have done something remarkable in a country that lived for 30 years under a dictator who suppressed all political activity, encouraged the increasing division and bitterness among the Shia's, the Sunnis, the Kurds. These people, with our help and encouragement, have begun to negotiate like real political leaders in a democracy. It is not always pretty. What we do here is not always most attractive. That is democracy. Most important of all, 8 million Iraqis came out in the face of terrorist threats in January to vote on that interim legislation. Almost 10 million came out to vote on a constitution, which is a pretty good document, a historically good document in the context of the Arab world. "What happened when the Sunnis felt they were not getting enough of what they wanted in a referendum? They didn't go to the street, most of them, with arms to start a civil war; they registered to vote. That is a miraculous achievement and a change in attitude and action. They came out to vote in great numbers, and they will come out, I predict, again in December in the elections and elect enough Sunnis to have an effect on the Constitution next year. "So I wish that some of that had been stated in Senator Levin's amendment. … "I had other concerns about Senator Levin's amendment, including particularly the last paragraph which I believe creates a timetable for withdrawal, and I think that is a mistake, particularly in the next 3 to 6 months as the Iraqis stand up a new government. It may not be the intention of the sponsors, but it does send a message that I fear will discourage our troops because it seems to be heading for the door. It will encourage the terrorists, and it will confuse the Iraqi people and affect their judgments as they go forward."
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