Democrats need only to find a backbone

Gen. David Petraeus is in charge of the military phase of the surge while Ambassador Crocker is responsible for bringing a political solution to Iraq. Thus, it is hardly surprising they put a generally positive spin on the progress of the surge during their appearance before Congress.

Petraeus outlined a plan that would withdraw 30,000 troops by next July. The only problem with this plan is that there would still be no real troop withdrawal. More than 130,000 troops would remain in Iraq, the same number in Iraq before the surge was announced in December 2006.

If the Democrats were not such cowards, they would cut off funding for the war and force the president to announce a troop withdrawal schedule. The Democrats use the excuse that they don't have enough votes to override a veto.

This is a phony excuse, because if the president vetoes a funding bill that requires troop withdrawal; in six to nine months, he wouldn't have the funds to continue the war. Troops would have to be withdrawn.

The Democrats don't need a veto-proof majority to end U.S. involvement in the Iraq civil war. They just need some backbone.

Victor Darst

West Dundee