GOP Senators Admit They're Scared Of White House

By Cernig

I've been pretty harsh on the Dems for their spineless accomodation of the White House's warmongering ways the past couple of days - so now its the Republican's turn.

How's this for abject spinelessness?

A small group of Republicans facing election fights next year have rallied around war legislation they think could unite the GOP: Call for an end to U.S. combat in Iraq, but wait until President Bush is out of office.

The Democrats on Friday deemed the legislation a ``nonstarter,'' and underscored the difficulty Congress has in striking a bipartisan compromise on the war. What attracts Democrats has repelled Republicans and vice versa, making it impossible so far to find a middle ground.

``I don't support it at all,'' said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. ``It doesn't do anything.''

The proposal, by Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, would require that Bush change the mission of U.S. troops from combat to primarily support roles, such as training Iraqi security forces and protecting U.S. infrastructure in Iraq. His legislation would set a goal of completing such a mission transition within 15 months.

If enacted immediately, that timeline would not kick in until Bush's last couple weeks in office.

``That's very courageous,'' Reid, D-Nev., quipped when a reporter asked him Friday about the proposal. Co-sponsors of the bill include Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, Elizabeth Dole of North Carolina and Norm Coleman of Minnesota. Of the sponsors, only Voinovich is not up for re-election in 2008.

It's obvious that Republican's are starting to feel their own sinecure seats shaking and would like to do more but are too afraid to split with the White House. So the only question remaining is - who are they so afraid of, Bush...or Cheney?