They’re giving themselves time to see if “Republican support..deteriorates”. Reports the Associated Press:

Democrats are not expected to take up President Bush’s war spending request until November, giving them time to calculate their next move and see if Republican support for his policies deteriorates.

The delay in passing the bill, which Bush says is needed by Oct. 1, is likely to intensify the standoff between the Democratic-controlled Congress and Bush, who says at least 130,000 troops are needed in Iraq through next summer.

They honestly don’t care if the troops have the funding they need to fight the war and protect themselves. What’s important to the Democratic caucus is the likes of MoveOn, which accuses respected four-star generals of betraying the country. As Michelle Malkin points out, there strategy is to withhold funding at a time when our counter-insurgency plans are beginning to work. America winning this war is simply not in their electoral strategy.

At the Pentagon on Monday, officials released a quarterly report on the war that echoed last week’s testimony of Gen. David Petraeus, the top military commander in Iraq. The report cited recent gains in security, including a decrease in sectarian killings, but little political progress in Baghdad.

Recent operations “have started to create the security conditions that will allow the government of Iraq to implement reforms and pursue reconciliation initiatives,” the report states.

Which is what I’ve been saying through the debate. Our own Congress is incapable of finding a functioning microphone for a general on several months notice. However, they criticize a government made-up of potentially the two largest rivals in history, which has accomplished seven goals while under fire. Now it has the added burden of having to worry about the aftermath of a premature withdrawal by the United States. Once security conditions are improved, real work can start being done. However, Congress is on the path to retreat, and shows no signs of diverting.

In February, Bush requested $147 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in budget year 2008, which begins Oct. 1. As early as this week, Bush is expected to ask for another $40 billion to $50 billion.

[John] Murtha, who chairs the House committee that oversees military spending, estimated Congress is likely to ignore the request until November.

Why? Because a loss for America would help them pick up a few Senate seats. If that means our troops don’t have funding, well, that’s just a risk their willing to take.