WASHINGTON--Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) last week introduced his bill to pull troops from Iraq, with the goal for most to leave by March, 2008. On Tuesday Obama stood with two vets, House Democrats Patrick Murphy of Pennsylvania and Mike Thompson of California, who will sponsor the companion legislation in their chamber.
It's a longshot, given the way presidential politics will play out on the Senate floor, that any of the 2008 GOP or Democratic White House contenders will end up with their name on a final piece of legislation cutting into President Bush's ability to send more soldiers to Iraq. That is, if the Democratic leadership can muster 60 votes and avoid a few Republicans from blocking the bill. It will be a different matter in the House, were the Dem leaders have more power to push things through.
Obama said Bush has been given "chance after chance" for a resolution that has never come.
No amount of soldiers, Obama said, can "stop a civil war."
The message has to be sent to Iraq "we are not going to be there in perpetuity."
Murphy is the first Iraq war vet to serve in Congress.
Lynn Sweet is a columnist and the Washington Bureau Chief for the 
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Benedict Arnold was a vet at one time too.