Wilson Votes Against Changing Course in Iraq

As usual, Repub Rep. Heather Wilson is trying to have it both ways. She's continuing to blindly support the Bush Iraq agenda while pretending to want what's right for the American people, our troops and her constituents in NM-01. Her task  -- like that of so many Republicans who keep putting politics before common sense -- is getting harder and harder given the escalating carnage and chaos in Iraq.

Today Wilson voted against the Responsible Redeployment from Iraq Act (HR 2956), sponsored by Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton, D-Mo. The bill would require troops to begin withdrawing from Iraq within 120 days of enactment of the legislation. All troops would have to be redeployed from Iraq by April 1, 2008, with minor exceptions. The bill passed 223-201 -- by the largest margin yet for a so-called redeployment bill.

Although Wilson has been critical of Bush's "surge" strategy, she's apparently willing to allow the failed policy to remain in place and our escalating casualties to continue unabated in Iraq in order to stay loyal to Bush. Back in January, she had this to say about the president's strategy, as quoted by  CNN:

“I am not a supporter of a surge to do for the Iraqis what the Iraqis will not do for themselves…. I also have not seen a clarity of mission. And I think that’s the greatest weakness that we have right now."

Well, there's still no clarity of mission and things are not improving in Iraq either militarily or politically:

Iraqi progress on political and military goals sought by Congress has been mixed during the past several months, with slow advances toward some of the targets and paralysis or even reverses in other areas, the White House said today in a much-anticipated assessment.

... The administration's assessment comes the day after U.S. intelligence experts offered an overwhelmingly negative view of military and political conditions in Iraq, saying that Iraqi forces will remain incapable of taking charge of security for years to come and that deepening sectarian political divides remain the largest impediment to progress.

Moreover, the lastest assessment describes "a 'complex and extremely challenging' security environment, an 'uneven' economic situation and little sign of progress toward political benchmarks."

Why won't Wilson vote in alignment with her negative views on Bush's Iraq plan and the realities of what's happening on the ground in Iraq? Pure politics. Despite trying to paint herself as a "moderate" and offering periodic criticisms about the war, she has never voted for any Iraq measure offered by Democrats and remains a rubberstamp for the Bush administration. I wonder when her conscience will bother her enough to prompt her to break with the president and truly support our troops.

By the way, Repub Rep. Steve Pearce (NM-02) voted against redeployment. Dem Rep. Tom Udall (NM-03) voted for it.