Senate Iraq War debate questionable

Republicans in the U.S. Senate have put in with the Democratic majority this week to allow a bill to cut off funding for the Iraq War to be debated on the floor. The GOP has blocked such a bill repeatedly, but now says it welcomes debate on the war in order to publicize all the good things that are happening in Iraq.

I hope this is smart strategy. The likelihood of the mass media allowing any extended publicity to the success of the surge and other positive developments in Iraq is very low. It certainly will tie up the Senate for an extended period, when it could be more productively involved on more important business.

The last line of defense, of course, is a veto by President Bush of any Iraq pullout bill that made its way to his desk. Taking that risk is an entirely different matter. It could allow solons who are up for re-election this year to vote against the war, only to be thwarted by the President, who is not.

John McCain himself has said that his likely GOP presidential nomination will succeed only to the extent that continued success is realized in Iraq. A stout supporter of the war himself, there is no hiding where he stands and how he has voted very publicly ever since 9/11. It could boost his campaign, if the Senate floor debate indeed does promote the positive things happening in Iraq.

With Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada controlling the debate and any votes, how likely is that?

More likely, it will allow Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton to grandstand and showcase their anti-Iraq views. Does anyone seriiously believe the mass media will let anything in print or over its airwaves from such debate that boosts McCain?

I say its a risk we don't need to take.