Can Democrats criticize Bushs war while taking a united stand on what to do next?
By Mark Benjamin Dec. 09, 2005 | When Rep. John Murtha, D-Penn., stood up in mid-November and declared that the war in Iraq was “not going as advertised” and was “a flawed policy wrapped in illusion,” he set off an explosive new round of debate — one both forward- and backward-looking. Weeks later, as Democratic leaders strive to present a united front on how and when to withdraw from Iraq — and signs show they are succeeding — there are still cracks in the facade. Some worry that calling for an instant pullout will bury them in charges of being soft on national security, or be interpreted as criticism of U.S. troops themselves. All the doubts play into the hands of the White House, which can claim Democrats can’t get their act together on how to deal with the unpopular war. But the most obvious problem for Democratic leaders, especially those who want Bush’s job, is their initial votes to authorize war. So far, they have managed to explain their 2002 decisions with varying degrees
