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OPEN I2PID - 21) III ♦ mOH.-WT.
STAYING THE COURSE
The long-awaited appearance of Gen. David
Petraeus came and went last week as the general
delivered the White House-approved message on
the Iraq War to congressional committees: stay
the course and maintain the current troop levels
in Iraq at least until next summer. Although the
Petraeus speeches did not move the needle much
in terms of public attitudes, it is clear that con
gressional Democrats lack the votes to pass leg
islation that would set a date for the withdrawal
of troops. George W. Bush will be able to keep
American forces in Iraq at the current level for
the rest of his term.
It's amazing that the president would be
in such a position when you consider how
unpopular both Bush and the war are
with the public. In poll after poll con
ducted nationally, 55 to 65 percent
of Americans consistently disap
prove of the war, feel that the war
was not worth fighting, and want
the troops to start coming home.
Bush's approval rating has bobbed
between 28 percent and 35 percent
in those same polls.
Even in Georgia, which has always
been a very patriotic state, as well as
one with a large military presence, the
numbers haven't been much better. In a poll con
ducted the first week of September by Atlanta's
Strategic Vision consulting firm, only 36 percent
of Georgians approved of Bush's handling of
the Iraq war, while 48 percent disapproved. On
the question of whether there should be an im
mediate withdrawal of military forces from Iraq,
almost as many Georgians favored an immedi
ate withdrawal (41 percent) as opposed it (43
percent). Keep in mind that Strategic Vision is
a Republican firm that words its questions to
elicit as favorable a response as possible for GOP
politicians.
With opposition that strong, how can Bush
continue with an unpopular war strategy? It's
because his Republican base has held firm. GOP
congressmen have largely stuck with the presi
dent to fight off all attempts to pass legislation
that would set a withdrawal date.
The Republicans in Georgia s congressional
delegation, of course, are also reliable Bush sup
porters. Senators Saxby Chambliss and Johnny
Isakson contend that things are going just fine
in Iraq and would probably call you a traitor if
you suggested voting against the president's
wishes. "It is an indisputable fact that the in
crease in troops has enhanced the security envi
ronment on the ground," Chambliss said after the
Petraeus appearances before Congress. "However,
to sustain this progress and continue improving
security and political reconciliation, we need
to give our full support to General Petraeus and
Ambassador Crocker in their current efforts in
Iraq." Even two of the state's Democratic House
members, Jim Marshall and John Barrow, have
voted with the Republicans on nearly every occa
sion this year to defeat proposals to set a troop
withdrawal date.
Chambliss, as it happens, is up for
reelection to the Senate in 2008. If
such a large proportion of the state's
voters are unhappy about the war,
shouldn't he at least acknowledge
that sentiment?
To understand why he doesn't,
let's look at another statewide sur
vey, the Peach State Poll, that was
conducted last year by the University
of Georgia. That poll also showed that
the views of Georgians were "mostly
in line" with the views of Americans on
the war, but there was a sharp divide when you
compared Republicans to Democrats. While more
than 80 percent of Georgia's Democrats thought
the war was a mistake, less than 20 percent of
Republicans felt that way.
Chambliss, then, is reflecting the views of
the voters who will be nominating him in the
Republican primary. To go against the Republican
base on the war would invite a challenge from
within his own party. Chambliss also does not
have to worry about facing a strong Democratic
opponent in the general election, as at this point
the options in that regard are weak.
As bad as things might get in Iraq, Chambliss
doesn't have to worry that it will cause him any
problems in getting reelected—and he's well
aware of that fact.
Tom Crawford
Tom Crawford is the editor of Capitol Impact's Georgia
Report, an Internet news site at www gareport.com that
covers government and politics in Georgia.
THIS Mtlllll WORLD
SO BUSH SAYS THE IRAQIS RAVE
REQUESTED AN "ENDURING RELA
TIONSHIP" WHICH WILL KEEP U.S.
TROOPS IN IRAQ BEYOND HIS PRES-
IDENCY...WHICH IS VERY CONVENIENT,
SINCE THAT'S CLEARLY BEEN THE
IDEA FROM THE START...
BACK IN SEPTEMBER OF 2000,
A NEOCON THINK TANK FOUNDED
BY DICK CHEN Cl AND DONALD
RUMSFELD, AMONG OTHERS,
OPENLY CALLED FOR AN INVASION
OF IRAQ AS A WAY of ESTABLISH
ING A MORE PERMANENT U.S.
Foothold in the region...
by TOM TOMORROW
AND of COURSE, THE MILITARY HAS
BEEN BUILDING WHAT THEY CALL
ENDURING BASES' All over IRAQ...
AND LET'S NOT FORGET THE CON
STRUCTION Of THE LARGEST EM
BASSY COMPLEX ON THE PLANET...
IT'S NOT EXACTLY AS IF THEY'VE
BEEN HIDING hHi of THIS...
BUT EVERYONE'S ALWAYS TOO
DISTRACTED BY AN ENDLESS SUC
CESSION Of SHORT-TERM COWTRO
VER5IE5 AND MANUFACTURED
OUTRAGES TO PAY MUCH ATTEN
TION AH&--UM-.
WHAT? WERE YOU SAYING SOMETHING?
EHZ
SORRY—I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT
HOW INFURIATED I WAS BY THAT
MOVEON.ORG AD CALLING GENERAL
PETRAEUS A LIAR!
|Of COURSE YOU WERE.
lb i
I THINK I'LL GO
BANG MY HEAD
AGAINST A WALL
NOW.
6 FLAGPOLE.COM • SEPTEMBER 19,2007
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