The Lieberman Equation

New Haven, CT (TLS). Senator Joseph Lieberman, D-CT, has indicated he will support the upcoming Bush plan to send more troops to Iraq. The Senator has been a steady, reliable, and consistent supporter for the War on Terror and its tributary in Iraq and Afghanistan. This has placed the Senator in a precarious position among other Democrats, who punished him for his views by denying him the Democrat nomination.

Of course, as we all know, Lieberman then ran as an Independent and trounced his opponents, including Democrat nominee Ned Lamont.

Since the election Lieberman has indicated he will take his seat in the Senate as a Democrat, which will put him in line for a committee chair. However, it is a big mistake to view this move as a victory for the Democrat party. Lieberman does not hesitate to break with the Democrats in order to vote his conscience.

One of the issues that rises to the forefront of 'conscience issues' is the Iraq War. From the start Lieberman believed it was the right thing to do. And now, as our progress in the country is being thwarted by insurgents, Lieberman will throw the weight of his support behind the President's upcoming plan to funnel more troops into the region.

This is not a plan without merit. A case can be made that from the outset there were not enough troops to do the job, in spite of assurances from Donald Rumsfeld and commanders on the ground. To be sure, Rumsfeld's philosophy was one of streamlining military operations to be more in line with 21st century technology. A central feature of this philosophy is that we can do more with less manpower.

Indeed, that may well be the case in the near future, and it is an honorable and worthy plan to pursue. However, we are not there quite yet.

More troops are needed in Iraq to stabilize the area, train Iraqi soldiers, and provide backup for Iraqis as they gradually increase their involvement in policing and securing the country. This short-terms solution will enable us to reach our longterm objectives more quickly.

The plan has broad support. Not only has Lieberman expressed support for more troops, but Democrats as well as Republicans have gone on record as supporting the idea, among them being Senators John McCain, Lindsey Graham, and even Harry Reid.

The Lieberman equation in the new Congress will yield mixed results. On the one hand he is strong on defense and the war on terror. On the other hand he supports some of the standard liberal policies of environmentalism, among others. His approval percentage from the American Conservative Union is only 17%. Yet he has received high marks in the 90s, and sometimes a perfect 100% approval rating from liberal groups.

There is no doubt that this needs to be carefully watched.

However, one cannot with any credibility question the personal integrity of Lieberman. His conscience is his guide, and he will vote the way he sees it on the issues, no matter what his Democrat colleagues think about it.

Mr. Lieberman will be an important ally in our nation's continuing War on Terror, as well as the War in Iraq, as we fight the march of Islamic Jihad.