Every time the Democrats in the House and/or the Senate demand a vote on either ending or curtailing the Iraq war the GOP digs its own grave a bit deeper by preventing any action. The public may not admire the Democrats overmuch--they don't in any case deserve admiration--but the Republicans who refuse to do anything about the war are even more contemptible in the eyes of the public. The Democratic strategy is a good one: Keep voting, keep getting stymied, keep the Republicans digging their grave ever more deeply. The result is inevitable: Congress will fall to the Democrats in even greater majorities and the White House as well. The Republicans can eat crow, embedded as they will be with military diehards and semi-fascist lunatics.

Norman Ravitch

Savannah, GA

Events on the ground in Iraq will determine the domestic political outcome.

Greater success might mean that is is Democrats who have a stronger Iraq problem in November 2008.

As the article said, though, Bush and Cheney have put the good of America above short-term Republican interests.

However, we do so often call for longer-term thinking

John D. Froelich

Upper Darby, PA