A National Security Agenda for the New Congress

Abstract

The takeover of Congress offers a respite from one-party rule and a wealth of opportunities to implement needed reforms. The debate has already been joined over the adminstration's Iraq strategy, but it remains to be seen whether Congress will go beyond symbolic gestures. But, even absent a major legislative action on Iraq, the new Congress can make a substantial difference on a wide range of other security issues. To a significant degree, the midterm elections were a referendum on Iraq a majority of Americans disagree with the administration's approach. Still missing, however, is anything close to a consensus on how to out of Iraq. Opponents of current policy are split between a get out now faction and a roughly equal group favoring some version of stabilize, then withdraw. This divide provides an opening for the Democrats to shape the public debate toward pulling out of Iraq, but it is an opportunity that they have so far failed to fully capitalize on. To the extent that there is a Democratic plan, it revolves around the Real Security agenda unveiled in the spring of 2006 with the support of the incoming leaders of the new Congress, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (d-ca) and Sen. Harry Reid (d-nv). More bumper sticker than blueprint, the five-page document gave rise to what representative Rahm Emanuel has described as the five R's: regional cooperation, reconciliation among parties, reconstruction, responsibility for results, and redeployment.1 Conspicuously absent from the list is a timeline for withdrawal or a pledge to use the power of the purse to influence Bush administration policy. Without these elements, the approach is too close to President Bush's to make a difference. reluctance to cut funding is grounded in the fear that any attempt to do so however reasonable the merits will be