The coalition of the willing Republicans is shrinking. From AP:
Sen. George Voinovich said Tuesday the U.S. should begin pulling troops out of Iraq, joining Richard Lugar as the second Republican lawmaker in as many days to suggest President Bush's war strategy is failing.That's nice, but...
He said the Iraqi people must become more involved and "I don't think they'll get it until they know we're leaving."
The Ohio senator's remarks followed similar comments by Lugar, R-Ind., the previous night. The two GOP senators previously had expressed concerns about Bush's decision to send 30,000 extra troops to Iraq in a massive U.S.-led security push in Baghdad and Anbar province.
Lugar and Voinovich said they were still not ready to insist on a timetable for withdrawal. But they both made it clear their patience was gone.So, they want us to withdraw, but not yet, and they're not willing to say when. So how exactly does this help? Lugar and Voinovich are trying to split the proverbial baby in half. They call for us to withdraw from Iraq... some day... just not right now. Kind of like you'll quit drinking, or stop smoking cigarettes, some day - just not right now.
Once Iraq's neighbors "know we are genuinely leaving, I think all of a sudden the fear of God will descend upon them and say, 'We've got to get involved in this thing,'" Voinovich told reporters.
