When Will All This Translate to Action?

And, no, we do not believe the non-binding House resolution amounts to action. It is no more than cheap, half-empty political rhetoric.

Iraq War Hopeless for 56% of Americans
February 17, 2007

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Many adults in the United States have lost faith in the coalition effort, according to a poll by Ipsos-Public Affairs released by the Associated Press. 56 per cent of respondents think the war in Iraq is a hopeless cause, while 39 per cent deem it a worthy cause.

The coalition effort against Saddam Hussein’s regime was launched in March 2003. At least 3,130 American soldiers have died during the military operation, and more than 23,500 troops have been wounded in action.

In December 2005, Iraqi voters renewed their National Assembly. In May, Shiite United Iraqi Alliance member Nouri al-Maliki officially took over as prime minister.

On Jan. 10, U.S. president George W. Bush introduced his new course of action for the coalition effort, which includes an increase in U.S. troop levels. 63 per cent of respondents oppose this strategy, down seven points in a month.

Yesterday, the House of Representatives voted in favour of a non-binding resolution condemning Bush’s proposed course of action. Out of the 182 legislators who supported the resolution, 17 were members of the Republican Party.

The document written by the Democrats—who hold a majority in the lower house—says that the lawmakers "will continue to support and protect" American soldiers in Iraq but that they "disapprove" of the 21,500-strong troop increase proposed by the president in January. After the vote, Democratic House speaker Nancy Pelosi declared: "The bipartisan resolution today may be non-binding. But it will send a strong message to the president".

Read the rest here.