I don't have to tell you how bad things are going in Iraq. They're so bad now it's hard to find anyone other than Dick "Unnamed Senior Administration Official" Cheney to object if you call it a quagmire.

Republicans lost control of Congress because of Iraq. And now that Democrats are in charge, they're having a little trouble finding their way.

That may be because almost every option in Iraq looks like another road to disaster. We're left now with the Bush surge, which nobody likes, including nearly every general I see on TV.

Some Democrats, meanwhile, are calling for a "phased withdrawal" of troops. Others want a "redeployment" of troops. Some are just waiting to see how long it takes for Joe Lieberman to make his phased redeployment to the other party.

Like everyone else, I'm looking for answers.

In the U.S. Senate, they couldn't even get a nonbinding resolution to the floor, and now they're struggling to come up with a plan to deauthorize the original 2002 authorization - and maybe find one for which Hillary Clinton won't be asked to apologize.

In the House, the John Murtha plan to tie funding with troop readiness seems to be losing support. And in case it does catch on, the vast right-wing conspiracy will go after Murtha again. Who was it that said he gets too emotional because he goes to funerals?

On the campaign trail, everyone has a plan, but you can't say that any of them have exactly caught on, which may be because it's still two years before any of the Democrats could be president.

Republican John McCain is staking out the pro-surge, anti-Don Rumsfeld position. Dick Cheney keeps saying things are basically going fine and that the real danger is apparently Nancy Pelosi.

And, of course, Laura Bush has reintroduced the concept that we're just not hearing the good news out of Iraq. In fact, she told Larry King, "Many parts of Iraq are stable now. But, of course, what we see on television is the one bombing a day that discourages everyone."

All those other daily bombings, I guess, we can live with, except, of course, those thousands of Americans and Iraqis who keep inconveniently dying.

So, a nation wonders, what exactly are we to do?

I thought you'd never ask. Because, fellow citizens, into this breach rushes our very own state legislature.

Seriously.

Sens. Ken Gordon and Ron Tupa are introducing a measure - a nonbinding measure - that would put the state on record in opposition to the Bush surge. The resolution was going to call for a phased withdrawal, but the sponsors apparently redeployed. I'm sure that the Bush administration is relieved.

There are many whereases and a few therefores in the resolution and, of course, the obligatory call to support the troops, so as not to be accused of being anti-troop by being anti-surge.

A heated debate, perhaps as early as next week, is expected. Republican Greg Brophy has promised the debate will be heated. You'll hear a miniversion of the U.S. House debate, including the charge that this resolution will be bad for troop morale. I know. As if they're standing by in Baghdad wondering what the words will be from Denver. (If you want word on who supports the troops, check out the Washington Post story on the scandalous outpatient treatment of Iraq veterans at Walter Reed Hospital.)

There are at least two ways to look at this resolution.

The one that comes to mind first is that it's possible the Colorado state legislature may not be a wellspring of innovative ideas on foreign policy. I spend a reasonable amount of time at the Capitol and can't remember seeing even one copy of Foreign Affairs.

Why not get to stuff where the legislature can have an impact - like the availability of hot laptops in parking lots for city officials or maybe finally bringing major league baseball to Colorado?

Usually, we leave foreign policy positions to either the State Department or the Boulder City Council.

On the other hand, if Wayne Allard is making these decisions in Washington, maybe we shouldn't get too hung up on qualifications.

I called Ken Gordon, the Senate majority leader, to ask why the legislature is getting involved.

He pointed out that when the Republicans were in charge, they had passed resolutions in support of the war. I remember that. And, in fact, I expect that John Edwards, who comes to town today to campaign, may apologize for that resolution, too.

"We're not making policy," Gordon said. "We're expressing an opinion. It's not just that we have the right and the ability as American citizens to express our views. We have a responsibility and an obligation to protect Colorado and Coloradans."

I wasn't buying. But then came the hard sell - a reminder of what it is we're actually talking about.

Gordon talked about the Iraqi civilians dying every day. He talked about the more than 3,000 American troops who have died in Iraq. He talked of how more than 100 of those troops have ties to Colorado.

He talked. And as he talked, I realized that, whatever little impact this resolution might have, it probably can't hurt to talk about it a little more.

littwinm@rockymountainnews.com.

Back to Top