Editorial: Pressure mounting on Iraq

Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2005 | 8:50 a.m.

In less than two weeks' time, Rep. John Murtha's call for bringing home all U.S. troops from Iraq within six months has dramatically changed the nature of the debate about the war.

Before the Pennsylvania Democrat's news conference on Nov. 17, President Bush had been keeping the lid on any pressure from Congress. Just two days earlier, a proposal by Senate Democrats to put a timetable on withdrawing troops had been defeated. An alternative by Senate Republicans passed 70-19, but said only that Iraq should be further along in self-governance by next year.

The Democrats' proposal forced the counterproposal by the Republicans and showed that Congress was finally questioning Bush's failing "stay the course" policy.

But it took the strong comments by Murtha, a Marine combat veteran who strongly supported Bush in the war's beginning, to actually pop the lid. Today Congress is suddenly energized about troop withdrawals.

The Bush administration has previously said that Iraqi forces are nowhere near ready to secure their country. Just two months ago, for example, American generals told Congress that Iraq had only one combat-ready battalion.

Today, however, with a restless Congress and with Republicans vulnerable in next year's midterm elections, it is a different story.

Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice has been on the TV news shows, touting the progress security forces in Iraq are making. Her comments parallel news stories that the Pentagon is putting together plans for phased withdrawals of troops.

Bush will focus on Iraq in a speech to the nation Wednesday. We hope he departs from his "stay the course" lecturing. The nation needs to hear whether Iraq is actually nearing the day when it can secure itself, and whether we are nearing the day when we can begin seeing an end to our military involvement.