NEIL H. SIMON, Media General News Service
Email to a Friend
Stumble It!
WASHINGTON--As the war in Iraq approaches the five-year mark, the views of Virginia's Congressional delegation have changed little on the conflict.
Republicans maintain the war is simply a front in the ongoing fight against terrorism, while some Democrats say the effort has become as drawn out as they said it would in 2002.
"There's absolutely nothing that has happened that wasn't predictable and predicted, and that's what's unfortunate," said Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va.
The Democrat and former Navy secretary was a critic of the war policy early on and it was an issue during his 2006 election to the Senate.
Republican Rep. Eric Cantor said the war has become politicized and warned that may send troops the wrong message.
"It is misguided to allow for there to be 535 commanders in chiefon Capitol Hill when we have one commander in chief," said Cantor, of Virginia.
Cantor called the U.S. effort in Iraq a "long-term war."
"We're in a struggle against radical Islam," he said. "This is just one of the fronts."
All of Virginia's Republican members of Congress voted to authorize the use of force in Iraq in 2002. Rep. Rick Boucher was the only Democrat from Virginia who voted for the war. He said then that even if Iraq didn't have weapons of mass destruction, its leaders were seeking them.
Republican Reps. Thelma Drake and Rob Wittman, the only members of the Virginia delegation not in Congress in 2002, both support continuing the military conflict.
"I would probably have voted to do what we've done," Wittman said. "I'm not a believer in any strict withdrawal timelines for our troops."
Drake, one of two Virginians on the House Armed Services Committee, points to the reduction of violence since troop levels increased last year as a sign military strategy in Iraq is working.
"Congress will continue to do what we're doing, giving our troops the proper funding and the proper equipment they need," she said. "But the goal is for Iraqi troops to take over their own security and for us to bring our troops home."
Drake's view echoes that of her Republican colleagues. But Democrats, like Rep. Robert Scott of Virginia, say the surge of U.S. troops has not brought success or permanent stability to Iraq.
"All you have with the surge is a tighter grip on the tiger's tail," Scott said. "You're no closer to the conclusion of the war. In fact, you're further away."
Democrats, after seizing control of Congress amid voter discontent with the war in 2004, have tried to alter the strategy in Iraq or bring troops home but have been unable to obtain needed Republican support in the Senate. Some Democrats acknowledged congressional action will do little to influence the Pentagon's military strategy.
"Once war is authorized it is very difficult to put the genie back in the bottle," Webb said.
Rep. Randy Forbes, R-Va., said the only viable option in Iraq is to "continue doing what we're doing."
"We might not be able to define success or victory, but you can define failure," said Forbes, an Armed Service Committee member. "We will have to go back five or six years later if we don't finish the job now."
Republicans maintain the war is simply a front in the ongoing fight against terrorism, while some Democrats say the effort has become as drawn out as they said it would in 2002.
"There's absolutely nothing that has happened that wasn't predictable and predicted, and that's what's unfortunate," said Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va.
The Democrat and former Navy secretary was a critic of the war policy early on and it was an issue during his 2006 election to the Senate.
Republican Rep. Eric Cantor said the war has become politicized and warned that may send troops the wrong message.
"It is misguided to allow for there to be 535 commanders in chiefon Capitol Hill when we have one commander in chief," said Cantor, of Virginia.
Cantor called the U.S. effort in Iraq a "long-term war."
"We're in a struggle against radical Islam," he said. "This is just one of the fronts."
All of Virginia's Republican members of Congress voted to authorize the use of force in Iraq in 2002. Rep. Rick Boucher was the only Democrat from Virginia who voted for the war. He said then that even if Iraq didn't have weapons of mass destruction, its leaders were seeking them.
Republican Reps. Thelma Drake and Rob Wittman, the only members of the Virginia delegation not in Congress in 2002, both support continuing the military conflict.
"I would probably have voted to do what we've done," Wittman said. "I'm not a believer in any strict withdrawal timelines for our troops."
Drake, one of two Virginians on the House Armed Services Committee, points to the reduction of violence since troop levels increased last year as a sign military strategy in Iraq is working.
"Congress will continue to do what we're doing, giving our troops the proper funding and the proper equipment they need," she said. "But the goal is for Iraqi troops to take over their own security and for us to bring our troops home."
Drake's view echoes that of her Republican colleagues. But Democrats, like Rep. Robert Scott of Virginia, say the surge of U.S. troops has not brought success or permanent stability to Iraq.
"All you have with the surge is a tighter grip on the tiger's tail," Scott said. "You're no closer to the conclusion of the war. In fact, you're further away."
Democrats, after seizing control of Congress amid voter discontent with the war in 2004, have tried to alter the strategy in Iraq or bring troops home but have been unable to obtain needed Republican support in the Senate. Some Democrats acknowledged congressional action will do little to influence the Pentagon's military strategy.
"Once war is authorized it is very difficult to put the genie back in the bottle," Webb said.
Rep. Randy Forbes, R-Va., said the only viable option in Iraq is to "continue doing what we're doing."
"We might not be able to define success or victory, but you can define failure," said Forbes, an Armed Service Committee member. "We will have to go back five or six years later if we don't finish the job now."