Dissent Grows Among Republican Ranks

Although Lt. Gen. David Petraeus thinks the U.S. troop “surge” is finally starting to show some positive results, it may be too late to bolster the enthusiasm of several key Republicans in Congress who have joined their Democratic colleagues in challenging President Bush’s position on the Iraq war — which, along with the war in Afghanistan, is costing America $12 billion a month. However, as one Iraqi official warns, timing is everything when it comes to exit strategies.

AP via Breitbart.com:

Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, ranking Republican on the Homeland Security Committee, said Monday there had been “a steady erosion for the president’s policy” in Congress because of the “tremendous loss of life among our troops” in June and “the failure of the Iraqi government to pursue the political reforms that are necessary to quell the sectarian violence.”

Meanwhile, several Democratic-run investigations are playing out this week as they head toward contempt of Congress citations and, if neither side yields, federal court:

Monday is the deadline for the White House to explain why Bush is refusing to comply with a congressional subpoena for e-mails and other documents on his aides’ involvement in the firings of eight federal prosecutors last winter. The White House is not expected to comply with the deadline.

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