Simmons, Jannace

Simmons The strategy being employed by Murtha and other House Democratic leaders would force Bush and Republican congressional leaders to accept the new troop restrictions, or face the possibility the supplemental spending bill would falter, thus cutting off all funding for the war.

Democrats are betting that Bush and the Republicans won’t take that risk and will go along with the Democratic proposals. And Republican leaders are not taking Murtha’s threats lightly.

The Republican National Committee has e-mailed supporters, urging them to contact newspapers and other media outlets to object to the congressman’s proposals.

The RNC was reacting to a story in The Politico on Wednesday that spelled out the Democratic strategy of cutting off the supply of troops available for the war, while retaining funding for forces already deployed in Iraq.

Without the troops to execute the surge, the Pentagon would find it increasingly difficult to keep U.S. forces in Iraq.