Murray predicts lack of support

President Bush seems to be misreading the results of the November election in his call for a surge in troops for Iraq, a senior Democrat from Washington state warned Wednesday.

“The American people spoke pretty loudly in November that they wanted a change in direction in Iraq,” Sen. Patty Murray said.

The plan may prompt a “resolution of non-support” in Congress in the coming weeks, she said. If that happens, Bush may be caught between Democrats and some Republicans who are opposed to sending more troops, and other Republicans who think the troops he will dedicate to this “surge” are not enough, Murray predicted.

Sen. Larry Craig, Idaho’s senior Republican, predicted that Democrats will be “playing politics of this issue to the hilt” if that resolution comes up. He said he’s willing to back the plan, at least for now.

“I’m going to give this president my support in the short term,” Craig said just minutes after Bush finished his speech. “I think the president clearly recognizes the concerns the American people have.”

The Bush proposal met with mixed results from members of Congress in both states.

Sen. Maria Cantwell said she didn’t think a new policy for Iraq can be tied to an increase in troops.

“Our strategy must be to significantly change the course by holding Iraqis to sooner time tables on taking security control, passing an oil law and making the other political compromises necessary to ease disagreements among Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds,” she said in a prepared statement.

Murray, who was named Wednesday to the Senate Defense Appropriations subcommittee, said she expects a series of hearings on Iraq starting today and a vote in the coming weeks on a resolution to support or oppose the president’s strategy.

If a resolution of opposition passes, she’s not sure what the president will do. But if he sends more troops to Iraq, she doubts that Congress will cut off funding for them.

“We don’t want to make troops on the ground unsafe,” she said.

Rep. Cathy McMorris, who represents Eastern Washington’s 5th District, said she sees Bush’s shift as a recognition that the current strategy isn’t working.

“I think we need to take a close look at it,” McMorris said of the Bush proposal. “I’m not ready yet to say yea or nay.”

For her, the key to support will be a clear sign that Iraqis are “stepping up” to take control of their country and Americans are backing them up.

“I think the American people have been waiting to hear how we’re going to be successful in Iraq,” she said. “It’s only getting worse and worse. It’s almost like we’re at the do-or-die point.”

Craig said he doesn’t know if the troop increases proposed by the president are the correct ones at this time. “I’m not going to sit here and second-guess the commander-in-chief,” he said.

His Senate seatmate, Mike Crapo, said he wants to review all the elements of the Bush proposal before supporting it.

In a written statement, Crapo said he has concerns about increasing troop levels and doesn’t want the U.S. military “to be simply standing between warring factions in Iraq.” He wants to hear from experts who will be appearing before Congress in the coming days.

Newly elected Rep. Bill Sali likened the increase in troops to “an injection of heavy antibiotics to kick a serious illness,” and believes it’s a decision based on sound advice. “America keeps its promises and completes its missions,” Sali said.