The Demodogs don’t yet think they’ve lost. This is not the time for complacency. It is not the time to stop being vocal in support of our Commander-in-Chief, our troops, and their mission(s) throughout the world.
Though the Demodogs had to pork it up to buy sufficient votes to to even pass that bill to begin with, Republicans must be persuaded that staying the course is the right thing to do for Iraq and the world. If pressure is not maintained on Congress, they will believe that we don’t support, without condition, the Iraqis fight.
Good intentions notwithstanding, benchmarks poorly thought out, with some automatic trigger mechanism, can also be something AlQ and other “insurgents” will latch on to defeat us in the WoT.
You’re 100% spot on.
"House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (Md.) indicated that the next bill will include benchmarks for Iraq -- such as passing a law to share oil revenue, quelling religious violence and disarming sectarian militias -- to keep its government on course. Failure to meet benchmarks could cost Baghdad billions of dollars in nonmilitary aid, and the administration would be required to report to Congress every 30 days on the military and political situation in Iraq."
"White House officials are also looking to benchmarks as an area of compromise, but they want them to be tied to rewards for achievement, not penalties for failure."
"But that approach would be too weak even for moderates from both parties. Already, liberal Democrats think that public opinion and circumstances in Iraq are on their side, and they view benchmarks alone as far too weak. House Appropriations Committee Chairman David R. Obey (Wis.) has repeatedly told Democratic leaders that he would not report a war funding bill out of his committee that he could not support. Pelosi is also reluctant to embrace such a compromise until she sees how far congressional Republicans are willing to bend."