In response, the President is standing firm and threatening a veto. In his radio address to the nation, the President stated that he wants “a clean bill, without conditions, without restrictions and without pork.” This strong stance puts Capitol Hill Republicans in a tough position of supporting the President and the troops remaining in Iraq, while opposing the views of the majority of Americans.

Some Republicans, like U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) have abandoned the White House completely, and are even raising the specter of impeachment. Hagel was the toast of the Sunday talk shows and the more he criticizes the White House, the more popular he becomes with the anti-Bush media. According to Hagel, “We essentially are ruining our National Guard. We are destroying our Army. We’re destroying our Marine Corps. We can’t sustain this…I will not accept the status quo.” Hagel is considering a presidential bid, as the only anti-war Republican in the race. He will make a decision by the summer.

The anti-war Democrats are close to achieving a majority in the Senate for some sort of troop deadline, which will force a Bush veto. The coming showdown will continue to focus the nation on the unpopular war and make it impossible for congressional Republicans to be able to escape the shadow of Iraq.

Right now, the prospects for Republicans in 2008 are bleak and getting bleaker everyday. Although some will say that the surge policy is working and Iraq is becoming safer, there is still much violence in the country. In fact, many would argue that the American public has passed the point of no return and will not change their anti-war position no matter what happens in Iraq.

A political confrontation over Iraq is inevitable and the American public is decidedly in the Democrats corner on the number issue facing the country today. Republicans can cite economic progress and plenty of other accomplishments, but as long as U.S. military forces are serving in the controversial war, the public will be very receptive to the Democratic message, “Bring home the troops,” which continues to resonate throughout the nation.

Jeff Crouere is a native of New Orleans, LA and he is the host of a Louisiana based program, “Ringside Politics,” which airs at 8:30 p.m. Fri. and 10:00 p.m. Sun. on WLAE-TV 32, a PBS station, and Noon till 2 p.m. weekdays on several Louisiana radio stations. For more information, visit his web site at www.ringsidepolitics.com. E-mail him at jeff@ringsidepolitics.com.