LAT: Bush aides consider Iraq truce at Capitol

[babylonsister]

This needs to be watched; Dems had better not cave on their supposed September 'convictions'.

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/front/la-na-iraqdeal25jun25,1,1529505.story?coll=la-headlines-frontpage&ctrack=9&cset=true

Bush aides consider Iraq truce at Capitol

Wary of more fights, they're looking into the possibility of a congressional deal to satisfy war foes but preserve presidential goals.

By Paul Richter and Noam N. Levey, Times Staff Writers
June 25, 2007


WASHINGTON — The Bush administration has begun exploring ways of offering Congress a compromise deal on Iraq policy to avert bruising battles in coming months, U.S. officials said.

With public support of the war dropping, President Bush has authorized an internal policy review to find a plan that could satisfy opponents without sacrificing his top goals, the officials said.

The president and senior officials "realize they can't keep fighting this over and over," said one administration official, who along with others declined to be identified because they weren't authorized to speak publicly or because decisions were pending.

The Republican White House has not opened formal negotiations with the Democratic-controlled Congress. But some senior administration officials — including Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and U.N. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad — have been quietly talking with lawmakers about how to adjust policy in the months ahead. Among other ideas, they have discussed whether the United States should advocate a sharply decentralized Iraq, a notion that has seen a resurgence on Capitol Hill.

Bush was victorious last month in the most recent round of his battle with congressional Democrats over Iraq. He forced them, after weeks of struggle, to accept a $120-billion emergency war spending bill that did not require reductions of U.S. troops in Iraq. But future White House battles with Congress are looming.

Leading congressional Republicans have signaled that they expect a new U.S. course by September, when a key military assessment is due. Democrats, meanwhile, intend to use other legislative measures to push Bush toward a troop withdrawal, beginning as early as this week's deliberations on a Defense authorization bill.

more...

[genie_weenie]

1. The truce of course being with Dem's in America almost

as though the situation on the ground doesn't even matter or exist in their political machinations.

The unbelievable hubris, arrogance and callous disregard for life is sickening.

[Bonhomme Richard]

2. Charley Brown, I really am going to hold the football this time. n/t