Foreword
Democrats swept to power in Congress during the midtermelections of 2006 due in large part to public frustration over the BushAdministration’s handling of the war in Iraq. Once they took over thecongressional leadership in January, the focus turned to how — or if —Democrats should use their new legislative powers to reshape war policy. Questionsabout the Democrats’ first step were answered following President George Bush’sJanuary 10, 2007, televised address to the Nation announcing a more than 20,000troop “surge in U.S.military personnel in Iraq.House and Senate Democrats both began drafting nonbinding resolutionscondemning what they termed an “escalation. Although nonbinding congressionalresolutions…
