CNN reports that aides to the Congressional leadership are busy floating trial balloons about a potential new funding bill for the troops that would drop the firm withdrawal date. The brief tour I took of Memeorandum indicated that the left was not at all happy about that.
The bill is expected to include benchmarks that the Iraqi government would have to achieve. The bill is also expected to require the president to provide numerous reports to Congress before August 2007 on the Iraqi government's progress, the aides said.
If the Iraqi government fails to meet the benchmarks, the aides said, reconstruction funds could be cut. The bill may also allow the president to waive the penalties for failing to meet the benchmarks if he feels they are necessary.
White House spokesman Tony Snow Tuesday declined to comment directly on the proposals in the new bill.
"One of the reasons why I think the talks have been able to proceed is that we are not floating trial balloons, nor are we responding to trial balloons," Snow said. "I think when both sides have worked out what they think is an acceptable agreement, I will let them do it."
A senior administration official added "it is premature to say that the White House has agreed to any provisions of the Iraq funding bill."
The war spending bill, also known as the supplemental appropriations bill, would also include a boost in the minimum wage to $7.25 an hour and other domestic spending initiatives, the amount of which are still being negotiated, the aides said.
So, the Democratic leadership – which always knew it did not have the votes even if the nutroots didn't – appear to finally be ready to get something passed to fund the troops. Sure, they will stuff as many extra things in as they can to claim they won a victory but the troops end up funded. Sleazy political theater? Sure. Appeasing the left? Well, they tried – but it won't work with them anymore than it has ever worked.
