Today, Republican John Warner went public with his thoughts that President Bush should begin withdrawing troops from Iraq "by Christmas". Even with that statement, he rejects demands for Congressional timetables, saying that timetables should be set by the President, not Congress.
So what has Warner really accomplished here? He's graced national headlines for a day, but his comments have little teeth from a legislative point of view. The only thing his comments have done is embolden the Democrats and the insurgents simultaneously.
The political pressure has increased on Bush because of this, but most Republicans will still stand by the surge. It has dramatically decreased the amount of violence in the region, and only when security is achieved can real political progress occur. The General's report will soon reaffirm this and grant unprecedented public support for the change in strategy.
If Warner, and the other Republicans who have wavered in the War on Terror, gain political points, they could likely be temporary.
Republicans who continue to stand up for victory could be recognized in 2008 if a conservative nominee is able to communicate effectively the consequences of defeat. Otherwise, if more Republicans abandon this part of the War on Terror, we could have a party without an identity.
And that's much worse than any Clinton or Obama.
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