The GOP goes on the offensive

By Creature


Whether it's a big meeting at Camp David, or a meaningless Iraq resolution in the House, the GOP hopes to capitalize on the death of al Zarqawi this week with a flurry of political showboating.

First we have the "war president" meeting with his "war cabinet" to discuss, of all things, the war.

Bush summons war cabinet for post-Zarqawi session
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush convenes a war council this week hoping to build momentum after Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's death, but the big question overhanging the talks is when U.S. troops will return from Iraq.

Bush will hold two days of high-level consultations at Camp David starting on Monday to reassess strategy on Iraq as he struggles with an increasingly unpopular war that has dragged down his approval ratings in a congressional election year.

Call me cynical, but shouldn't these types of meetings be happening all along?

Next, we turn to the House of Representatives where even the two day photo-op at Camp David is nothing compared to this bit of pure politicking:

A House committee also will debate and vote out a resolution "[d]eclaring that the United States will complete the mission in Iraq and prevail in the Global War on Terror," which is scheduled to get a full day of floor debate on Thursday.

Can a single resolution say so little, and mean even less? This kind of political opportunism may be worse than the religious-right pandering we witnessed last week. These discussions on the war are necessary and important, but to cap them off with a meaningless vote, on a hollow resolution, is just a waste of time.

If only we could harness the hot air coming out of Congress this week to fuel the helicopters needed to shuttle the president's staff to and from Camp David, then maybe all this talk would be worth something.

(Cross-posted at State of the Day.)