The House should be setting the stage for the crisis to come...

[Parisle]

--- The democratic majority in the House of Representatives, provided it had the guts and the will, could be framing not just the debate, but the entire circumstance of the looming Bush-PNAC determination to get a war going in Iran before they are flushed out of office in 2008. They can do it by passing one of those "non-binding" resolutions. Sure,... it's just a simple majority resolution,.. it will never pass the Senate or a veto,.. but it will get people's attention. In no particular order, here are the provisions of such a resolution.

--- The original AUMF is hereby revoked.

--- Presidential CIC authority to launch a preemptive attack on Iran, without consulting with Congress or obtaining a declaration of war.. is hereby held invalid and nonexistent.

--- Executive decrees in pursuit of circumventing these provisions, including any suspension of Constitutional law, orderly electoral succession.. or the declaration of martial law will be held invalid.

--- There shall be no circumstance by which the elections of 2008 will be suspended, nor any circumstance by which George W. Bush shall exceed his Constitutionally prescribed two terms in office.

--- Civilian and military personnel assisting or cooperating with any executive actions deemed invalid by this resolution.. will be held fully accountable and in violation of Congressional authority and Constitutional law in any post-2008 continuation of this legislation. (Translation: Do it now, and you will be punished for it as soon as we obtain the additional votes to make it law. Retroactive law. We promise you that.) Violation of the principle of congressional war authority will bring a mandatory death penalty.

--- There. Like I said,.. it could only pass in the House,... but think of it as a "hedge resolution" contingent on how the 2008 elections come out. I think it's a reasonable way to conduct business.