Compromise on Iraq? Not likely

Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, takes pride in being a key player in a Senate “centrist coalition” trying to steer a middle ground on various issues. His latest effort, Tuesday’s proposal for a compromise on Iraq policy, is an interesting attempt to give both parties what they want – but it's probably doomed to failure. Voinovich’s resolution, which he’s “shopping around” for support before it’s introduced, calls for a troop reduction in Iraq but doesn’t set deadlines for withdrawal, and states the U.S. must remain there for the foreseeable future. It calls on the United Nations and allies to take larger role in diplomatic and economic issues, and calls on the U.S. to limit its efforts to protecting its own interests, supporting Iraqi security forces and conducting targeted counterterrorism operations.

“I’ve been meeting with leaders on both sides of the aisle,” he told the Enquirer’s Malia Rulon. “What I want to do is move the ball down the court … get a consensus.” Sounds eminently reasonable. The problem is, few in that deliberative body are in a mood to be reasonable these days. The presidential campaign is in full swing, like it or not, and it doesn’t appear that either party considers it in its interests to strike a conciliatory tone, because that might further alienating its already disgruntled ideological “wing.” In particular, you don’t have to be much of a cynic to see that Democrats, realizing U.S. troops still will be in Iraq next year no matter what Congress does, would rather not have reached an accommodation with Republicans on the issue when the two parties battle for the White House and Congress in the fall.

Sure enough, Voinovich had barely finished a conference call to explain his proposal Tuesday when Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., announced that Democrats were abandoning their plans to lure some Republicans with compromise language on Iraq bills, and instead would take a hard line on mandating a withdrawal timeline. As some bloggers and House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-West Chester, pointed out, Reid’s announcement came just one day after he met in New York with antiwar activist groups that have been, shall we say, impatient with congressional Democrats’ efforts to force an end to U.S. involvement there. Complicating the issue is the debate over a proposal by Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., to mandate a period of stateside leave for all troops there, thereby forcing a withdrawal without setting a timetable. In that kind of political environment, Voinovich’s compromise may have little more than a snowball’s chance. In fact, this doesn’t seem to be a good time for “centrists” in either party.