Iraq Strategy in the Hot Seat

July 9, 2007 — -- The renewed Senate debate on the war in Iraq comes at an inopportune time for President Bush: an administration report is due to Congress Sunday that will likely show how little progress the Iraqi government has made; a number of influential Republicans have just called for a new course in Iraq; and members of Congress are returning to Washington having spent the previous week in their home districts confronted daily by the impact of the war.

The war has taken a toll, both emotional and political, on the American people.

When Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., called for a new course in Iraq last Thursday, he cited conversations with family members of troops killed in Iraq as having influenced his decision.

"We cannot continue asking our troops to sacrifice indefinitely while the Iraqi government is not making measurable progress," he said. "I do not support an immediate withdrawal from Iraq or a reduction in funding for our troops. But I do support a new strategy that will move our troops out of combat operations and on the path to coming home."

Today in New Mexico, a funeral was held in Santa Fe for 21-year-old Army Cpl. Joel Dahl. Killed in a firefight in South Baghdad at the end of June, Dahl will never meet his 11-day-old son, Kaiden.

Last week in Lee, Maine, GOP Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe attended the funeral of Sgt. Joel House, who had been killed by an IED.

"It's something you live with every day," said Snowe. "You listen to the stories that their families tell of the heroism of their young men and women who have put themselves on the front line, dedicated to their duty, and that was certainly true last week."

"I'm finding that my constituents' patience is pretty much exhausted," said Collins. "They're very disturbed by the high casualty rates."

Today, Collins said she has lost confidence in the president's leadership. "If the president isn't willing to adopt a new strategy, then perhaps we, in Congress, have to impose it on him," she said.

Those comments join a growing Republican chorus.