Reps. Dana Rohrabacher and Barbara Lee a political odd couple when it comes to Afghanistan war

WASHINGTON — Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, an Orange County conservative, and Rep. Barbara Lee, a Bay Area liberal, are about as far apart ideologically as anybody in Congress.

Yet both oppose a troop increase in Afghanistan.

As President Obama ponders a new war strategy and members of Congress stake out their positions, Rohrabacher and Lee have become the political odd couple.

"Sending in more U.S. combat troops is not the answer," Rohrabacher said in a speech on the House floor last week, breaking from his fellow Republicans, most of whom back a troop increase.

The Huntington Beach congressman, who once traveled with the Afghan mujahedin while they fought the Soviets, added: "Reaching out to the villages and tribal elders and establishing local militias, perhaps buying their goodwill if need be, these are the things that will work."

Lee of Oakland, who cast the lone congressional vote in 2001 against the use of force in Afghanistan, welcomed her surprise ally after hearing Rohrabacher speak.

"I listened to his opening statement. I could have given it," she said.

"The fact that both Lee and Rohrabacher oppose troop increases reflects how widespread doubt is about Afghanistan," said Loren Thompson, a defense policy analyst for the Lexington Institute. "Those two occupy opposite ends of the ideological continuum on most issues, so their shared misgivings on Afghanistan tell you that the unease is bipartisan."

The Ripley's-believe-it-or-not moment is politically uncomfortable for both lawmakers.

Lee's opposition to a troop increase turns up the heat from the left on a White House that has been under pressure to grant a request from Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, the top commander in Afghanistan, for up to 40,000 more U.S. troops. There currently are 68,000 U.S. military members operating there.

And it could put Lee in the position of challenging a president she worked to elect.

"There is no military solution in Afghanistan," Lee said, warning that any additional troops would be perceived by the Afghans as occupiers.

As for Rohrabacher, most of his Republican colleagues are pressing Obama to approve McChrystal's request.

"Opposing our enemy by arming and financing local and village leaders was a strategy that worked against the Soviet Army, and it worked against the Taliban after 9/11, and it will work again," he said.