WASHINGTON — After months of studied solidarity behind the war on terrorism, congressional Democrats are posing increasingly skeptical questions about the campaign's goals and direction, as well as President Bush's proposed military buildup.
Questions came from the top of the Democratic Party on Thursday when Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota told reporters that the future success of the mission in Afghanistan was "in doubt" and that the military cannot yet claim victory because terrorist leaders remain at large.
"Clearly, we've got to find [Mullah] Mohammed Omar [the head of the former Taliban regime], we've got to find Osama bin Laden and we've got to find other key leaders of the Al Qaeda network, or we will have failed," Daschle said. "We're not safe until we have broken the back of Al Qaeda, and we haven't done that yet."
Republicans immediately slammed Daschle for casting doubt on the war effort while troops are in the field.
"How dare Sen. Daschle criticize President Bush while we are fighting our war on terrorism," said Senate Minority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.).
A spokeswoman for Daschle later issued a statement saying the senator did not intend his comments to be construed as critical of Bush and his campaign against terrorism.
But Daschle's remarks underscored a growing willingness on the part of Democrats to challenge Bush on security matters as the administration opens new, more uncertain fronts in the war on terrorism.
One point of contention has emerged over Bush's request for a hefty hike in the defense budget, which includes money for missile defense systems and other weapons that skeptics say are not needed for the war on terrorism.
The increasingly confrontational tone also reflects the political pressures on Democrats as they struggle to balance their general support for Bush's foreign and defense policies against the need to draw distinctions between the two parties in the 2002 campaign.
Bush himself has signaled that the season for political combat has arrived, as he has begun campaigning for Republican candidates around the country--most recently his fund-raising appearance in North Carolina on Wednesday for Senate contender Elizabeth Hanford Dole.
"There's a frustration that as the election is clicking on, the base of our party is getting ready to engage," said Michael Meehan, a top Democratic political strategist. "We're ready to have a battle of political ideas, and a lot of Democrats now are taking heart that we can engage."
