In a shameless swipe at their political opponents, House Republicans passed a resolution on July 21 that denounces those who dare to question the wisdom of an indefinite U.S. military presence in Iraq.

"Calls for an early withdrawal embolden the terrorists," the bill states, adding that the U.S. must stay as long as it takes to achieve a free and secure Iraq.

At this rate that may be a long, long, long time.

When and under what circumstances the U.S. may withdraw is anybody's guess. The House leadership shot down a Democratic amendment calling for the Administration to offer benchmarks for success in the constantly rejustified Iraq war.

But an amendment that endorses prisoner interrogation at Guantanamo as necessary to the "war on terror" passed.

It's rank demagoguery: passing a bill that says whatever the Administration does is good, and anyone who raises questions about it is a friend of terrorists.

The hyper-patriots who drafted the bill to gag the war's critics seem to have missed the connection between the ideals of freedom and democracy they love to talk about and the ability of a democratic government to tolerate debate of its major policies.

Linking "terrorists" and Iraq is, of course the huge bait and switch Republicans have used from the beginning of this war. Now they want to tar Democrats with association with terrorists.

What terrorists? The Administration has stated that there was no link between the Al Qaeda attacks of 9/11 and Iraq.

And what good is the U.S. presence in Iraq doing, as far as freedom and democracy go? According to the New York Times on Friday, the new Iraqi government is busy installing Islamic fundamentalist law, and is considering repealing women's rights and women's representation as envisioned by the U.S. provisional authority.

That's just the theoretical stuff, though. Basic services like clean water and garbage collection and electricity are still pathetically absent in Iraqi cities, and the whole country is seething with violence that shows no sign of letting up.

Meanwhile, we have lost more than 1,700 U.S. soldiers so far. Yet the House would forbid the question how many more lives should Americans sacrifice to this ill-defined mission.

Fortunately, the public isn't buying it. A majority of Americans now feel the war has not been worthwhile, and more think the Iraq war has hurt the war on terrorism than think it has helped.

The House effort to legislate against dissent is the last refuge of scoundrels. It's too late, though: Americans already see through the bullying and flag waving.

© 2005 The Progressive

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