Democrat split on Iraq may hurt ‘08 chances: analysts
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Written by GussFailure to end the Iraq war has so divided Democrats it could jeopardize their chances of consolidating power in U.S. elections in November 2008, analysts said.
Nearly a year since the party parlayed discontent over the unpopular war into a majority in Congress, liberal Democrats, prodded by influential Internet bloggers, are pressing harder than ever for action to bring U.S. troops home.
Centrists, concerned about alienating conservative voters in swing districts, are wary of moving too precipitously, the analysts say.
The bottom line for Democrats was that they won a majority by picking up seats in marginal or nominally Republican districts, said Ethan Siegal, an analyst for The Washington Exchange, which monitors Congress for institutional investors.
“If the Democrats want to keep control of the House in the 2008 elections, they can’t force those members to take certain Iraq votes, he said.
Democratic divisions may grow after Gen. David Petraeus, the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, reports to Congress in September on the results of President George W. Bush’s policy of building up troops as a way to stabilize Iraq.
Even a positive report is unlikely to sway the anti-war liberal Democrats, but it will make it difficult for centrist Democrats from more conservative districts to support pulling out troops, the analysts said.
