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Senate Republicans’ decision to engage Democrats in an Iraq debate this week represents a risk that could further tie the party’s political prospects in November to the war.
The change in strategy from defense to offense was so quick that it caught Democrats by surprise Tuesday, after Republicans forced the Senate into a 30-hour debate over the war. GOP senators said the perceived success of the U.S. troop surge shows the war has finally turned a corner.
The gamble, however, is that the success of the surge will last at least through November. That’s when several politically vulnerable Republicans face reelection races that could strengthen or tip the Senate’s current 51-49 Democratic majority — a super-thin majority that continues to stymie major legislation.
Democrats say that more boots on the ground in Iraq was not the only goal of the surge, and they are quick to point out that the political situation has yet to change.
“I think they’re really in a box,” said Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.). “They’ve decided that the best defense is offense — but unfortunately, this isn’t a political game. We have thousands of people losing their lives and billions of dollars being spent.”
Republicans are making the most of the rare opportunity. Only a year ago, prominent Republicans such as Sen. John Warner (Va.) were clashing openly with the White House over the war’s pace and policies.
“The Democrats are sort of in denial about the fact that things have dramatically improved in Iraq both on the military-security side and on the political side,” said Republican leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) “It’s almost as if they’re sorry that things have gotten better. I think the American people are not sorry that things have gotten better and are pleased that we are succeeding.”
Senate Republican Conference Chairman Lamar Alexander of Tennessee also suggested the new strategy was refreshing for a party tired of being on the defensive for so long over Iraq. He called the new strategy “typical of what you’re going to see from Republican senators this year.”
“We’re going to be on the offensive. If the issue is Iraq, we’re ready to talk about it. If the issue is housing, we’ll have a housing proposal,” he said. “What I think is a vulnerability is not to have a clear position on it, and to not be willing to talk about it.”
But the Republican risks are stark: Among the November reelection contests are those of four particularly vulnerable Republicans: Susan Collins of Maine, Norm Coleman of Minnesota, John Sununu of New Hampshire and Gordon Smith of Oregon.
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