Republicans have Oakland Raiders Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum recklessly charged that Democrats

Republicans have relates recklessly charged ac arena uncovers that Democrats who support a timetable for withdrawing American troops are setting a "date for surrender. " MoveOn. org this week hurt its cause with a spectacularly unseemly newspaper ad attacking Petraeus' credibility. This is no way to fight a war, or even to end one. For now, congressional stalemate benefits Bush because it means Democrats can't force him to end the surge before he's ready. But the hardening partisan divide is increasingly defining the war as a GOP-only enterprise, and no war can be fought for long as the project of a single political party. It doesn't have to be this way. More and more leading Democrats are willing to maintain an American force in Iraq (for training, border security and counter-terrorism) after the direct U. S combat role diminishes. More and more congressional Republicans understand that the U. S. cannot shoulder that front-line combat responsibility indefinitely.

The challenge is uniting a critical mass in both parties on a path from today's sprawling American presence to a lesser but more durable role. Petraeus, with a message that amounted to "stay the course," failed to sketch such a road map . Although he says he would end the surge when it runs out of troops next year (not really much of a concession), he would not commit to further reductions in U. Raiders Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum S forces american idols live . In that way, Petraeus' prescription for pacifying Iraq guarantees continuing conflict in the U. S arean . -- and another election, in 2008, dominated by the war. Maybe it's too much to ask a general formulating military strategy in a combat zone to also resolve a political impasse at home areana . But it's not unreasonable to demand that his commander in chief and congressional leaders meet the standards for compromise and reconciliation that they are demanding from a government operating under much greater duress in Iraq. If there is any hope of stabilizing Iraq, not only Iraqis but Americans will need to find strategies that create more common ground, because those are the only strategies that can be sustained. --ronald. brownsteinDemocrats also face growing pressure for a hard line. The liberal advocacy group MoveOn. org chose last weekend to poll its members on whether to finance primary challenges against congressional Democrats "who side with the president on Iraq. " And in the days before Petraeus' testimony, liberal websites crackled with outrage that Democratic leaders were considering compromises intended to attract more Republicans to bipartisan Iraq legislation. Each side's accusations against the other have reached a fevered, destructive pitch.

Republicans have recklessly charged that Democrats who support a timetable for withdrawing American troops are setting a "date for surrender. " MoveOn. org this week hurt its cause with a spectacularly unseemly newspaper ad attacking Petraeus' credibility. This is no way to fight a war, or even to end one. For now, congressional stalemate benefits Bush because it means Democrats can't force him to end the surge before he's ready arena . But the hardening partisan divide is increasingly defining the war as a GOP-only enterprise, and no war can be fought for long as the project of a single political party. It doesn't have to be this way arena concerts . More and more leading Democrats are willing to maintain an American force in Iraq (for training, border security and counter-terrorism) after the direct U. S combat role diminishes arena events . More and more congressional Republicans understand that the U. S. cannot shoulder that front-line combat responsibility indefinitely. The challenge is uniting a critical mass in both parties on a path from today's sprawling American presence to a lesser but more durable role Oakland Raiders Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum - coliseum . Petraeus, with a message that amounted to "stay the course," failed to sketch such a road map.

Although he says he would end the surge when it runs out of troops next year (not really much of a concession), he would not commit to further reductions in U. S forces . In that way, Petraeus' prescription for pacifying Iraq guarantees continuing conflict in the U. S arena high school musical. -- and another election, in 2008, dominated by the war Oakland Raiders Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum . Maybe it's too much to ask a general formulating military strategy in a combat zone to also resolve a political impasse at home arena schedule . But it's not unreasonable to demand that his commander in chief and congressional leaders meet the standards for compromise and reconciliation that they are demanding from a government operating under much greater duress in Iraq arena seating chart Oakland Raiders Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum - coliseum . If there is any hope of stabilizing Iraq, not only Iraqis but Americans will need to find strategies that create more common ground, because those are the only strategies that can be sustained . --ronald. brownstein. Re "Petraeus urges gradual drawdown of troops," Sept 11Waiting for Gen David H.