en proposed by Senator Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.). Congressman Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii) has joined Senator Kennedy's call; co-authoring similar legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives. Representative Abercrombie is the Chairman of the powerful Air-Land Subcommittee which oversees military ground forces and air power. Senator Harry Reid stated Thursday that he has enough Republican support to pass a non-binding resolution of disapproval for the president's plan.

One Democratic member of the House of Representatives has taken a more drastic step.

Congressman Sam Farr introduced legislation Thursday that would repeal the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002, essentially pulling the rug out from under the president.

Revoking of the authorization that gave war powers to the president would stop the "surge" in its tracks and would mandate an immediate withdrawal of US Forces from Iraq.

Accompanying his resolution, Congressman Farr issued this statement: "The longer this war drags on, the clearer it becomes that it is the wrong war at the wrong time for the wrong reasons. Trying to make up for the fact that the administration insisted on going into Iraq with too few troops more than three years ago by escalating our involvement now is not a 'new strategy.' There is a way forward, but that way is through withdrawing, not sending more troops."

Congressman Farr gave some background on this effort Wednesday in an interview on "The Peter B. Collins Radio Show."

Farr outlined his view about Congressional war powers: "We strict constitutionalists think that the president needs a new resolution. This president and the former president have ignored this."

"When the Republicans were in charge of the House and Senate, they insisted that President Clinton had to have permission to go into Kosovo."

Three votes were taken in the House. "The first vote was to support the war; it failed. The second vote was to oppose the war; it failed. The third vote was to do nothing about it; it failed."

Thursday, when asked about cutting funding for the occupation in Iraq, Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said, "I don't think Congress has the authority to do it." McConnell added, "You can't run a war by a committee of - you know - 435 in the House and 100 in the Senate." McConnell supported legislation in November of 1993 that set a timetable for the military action in Somalia by cutting off funding.

At this point, it is unlikely Congressman Farr will garner the support needed to pass this bill. As with all legislation, it will be subject to a presidential veto if it passes both houses of Congress. Thus, Farr will need support from 67 Senators and 290 members of the House if this action is to succeed.

The table has been set for a constitutional battle pitting Congress against the president. In the court of public opinion, Congress seems to have the upper hand. A CBS/AP poll conducted after Bush presented his plan to the nation showed only 37 percent support for his strategy.

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Matt Renner is a reporter and radio producer and a recent graduate of the University of California at Berkeley.

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