From The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Editorial

It’s hard to tell for sure, but President Bush does not seem to comprehend how profoundly things have changed.

He understands the basics, of course. He knows that the Democrats will control Congress when it convenes in January. He knows that public pressure is growing to begin withdrawal from Iraq. But so far, he and his advisers appear ready to gamble that the powers of the presidency, along with a strong Republican minority in Congress, will allow him to shrug aside pressure for meaningful change and remain “The Decider” for the rest of his term.

If so, that is a miscalculation as profound as the belief that U.S. soldiers would be welcomed to Iraq with flowers and chocolate.

The president expects and will get strong opposition to his Iraq policy from Democrats. In fact, he’s counting on that Democratic opposition, hoping it will rally members of his own party to his side. He knows that with solid Republican support, he could indeed fend off the opposition and keep U.S. troops fighting in Iraq for the rest of his second term.

However, the issue of Iraq has grown so grave as to transcend that kind of political calculation. Some Republicans will of course stand by the president, but the number of GOP senators and representatives who have publicly challenged the president’s course is significant and will only grow over time.

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