'World News' Political Insights -- President Obama Faces War at Home on Afghanistan

Leadership change doesn't assuage Democrats' concerns, as funding bill looms.

ByABC News
June 27, 2010, 5:18 PM

WASHINGTON, June 27, 2010— -- For the Obama White House, it starts with the war abroad. Last week's widely praised leadership change notwithstanding, the situation in Afghanistan continues to look grimmer than when President Obama assumed office.

Then there's the war at home. And with a huge war funding bill looming as a must-pass item this week, that's no prettier to look at.

Democrats in the House are set to voice their growing unease over the course of the war in Afghanistan, as Congress debates a $33 billion funding measure. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has warned that the bill must pass by the Fourth of July to keep the dollars and resources flowing without the Pentagon having to do "stupid things."

War funding measures are typically Congress' best opportunity to influence war strategy. While the president is commander-in-chief, the purse strings are controlled on Capitol Hill.

Liberal voices have grown increasingly frustrated by the president's strategy in Afghanistan. They are particularly concerned that the president won't make good on the substance of his promise to begin troop drawdowns in July 2011.

Previous efforts by the left to influence war policy when funding bills come up for debate have fallen far short. But there's an additional political cross-current this time around that could have major consequences for efforts to pass the funding.

The president has been able to count on large numbers of Republican votes for previous war-funding measures, based in part on the GOP's desire not to be seen as cutting off funding for U.S. troops.

But rising concerns about deficits and debt are complicating the picture. Republican leaders have served notice that any attempt to add domestic-spending priorities to a war-funding bill will be met with strong opposition from Republican members.

That means that, even as Gen. David Petraeus glides to confirmation as Gen. Stanley McChrystal's replacement as the top commander in Afghanistan, members of Congress will be asking tough questions of -- and perhaps forcing some significant concessions from -- the Obama administration's national-security team.