It is clear George Bush hasn't been listening. He did not listen on Oct. 10, 2002, when 133 of us in the House voted against the war in Iraq. He did not listen to the bipartisan Baker-Hamilton Iraq Study Group, which urged a major change from the occupation. Nor did he listen to the American people on November 2. If he had, he certainly would not be advocating another escalation of the war in Iraq.
There is only one voice that can possibly get through to the president - Congress saying "no" to more funding for the war. We need to cut off funding for his disastrous policy of escalation in Iraq. A mere symbolic vote by Congress on this escalation would send an important message, but it is not the hammer needed to forge a new policy in Iraq.
Our troops show courage daily in Iraq. Congress needs to match it with the courage to vote to deny funding George Bush's scheme to escalate the war in Iraq for two reasons.
First, this is the unique constitutional responsibility of Congress. The Founding Fathers recognized the power of the purse, so they lodged it closest to the people - in the U.S. House of Representatives first, and the U.S. Senate second. In denying billions of dollars of money borrowed from our children, Congress will be exercising its constitutional authority, not its pique.
This is not a step to be taken lightly. With troops in the field, any congressionally mandated actions must be done surgically and with cautious deliberation. Obviously, the intent is not to deprive men and women in uniform of beans and bullets, and leave them in foxholes. But in this case, only one course of action available is to perform a rescue operation on the Iraq debacle.
Second, Congress must finally stand up and state unequivocally that no military solution exists to this Iraqi political problem. We've already increased troop levels in Iraq four times. Pouring more U.S . troops into Iraq yet again will slow, not accelerate, the day when Iraqi factions might finally reach the hard compromises that are necessary to forge a nation and American service members can return home.
The stated goals in Iraq have been accomplished: there were no WMD's or 9-11 conspirators in Iraq, and the brutal dictator Saddam Hussein no longer walks the face of the Earth. Now it's time to stand up to George Bush. It's time to deny him the ability to escalate the war and do more harm.
After such incompetence, any course in Iraq bears risk. But this direction is least likely to result in further loss of American life and billions of dollars.
U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee represents the 1st Congressional District in Washington state.