(Note: This is cross-posted on my website, at http://www.danjacoby.com/politics/columns.)

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates wants to send an additional 4,500 American troops to Afghanistan to supplement the 30,000 already there. The problem is that 30,000 isn't enough to get the job done, especially since our NATO "allies" aren't sending as many as they said they would. Meanwhile, Secretary Gates is being told that we don't have 4,500 additional troops to send, so Americans are dying in Afghanistan, the American-backed "government" is corrupt and ineffective, and the Taliban is getting stronger.

The truth, however, is that we have plenty of troops. We could easily deploy far more than 4,500 to Afghanistan, and we could deploy them without reducing our forces in Iraq.

The Pentagon's "Base Structure Report" [1] for FY2007 recognizes over 800 American military bases overseas. Some of these bases have well over 10,000 U.S. troops. Global Research in Canada puts the total number of American troops overseas at over 250,000. [2]

A while ago I asked Council Member Michael McMahon about his views on the war in Iraq and detainee policies. I received partial answers Friday night. and reproduce them below. It's a lawyerly reply with -- from my point of view -- good and bad news. It's most revealing, in my opinion, for what it doesn't say. Refer to my original questions, which I have reproduced below, to see what's not said. I will write about Mr. McMahon's reply further, later.

Statement by Michael E. McMahon in response to Daily Gotham Questions

I am opposed to the Iraq War and the time to start bringing home our fighting men and woman is now. That being said, we cannot allow politics to do anything that will threaten the lives and safety of our troops.

There were many in Congress who supported the war based on misinformation and the miscalculations of the Bush Administration. As documented in the recently released Senate report, the danger posed by weapons of mass destruction was exaggerated. It was these dangers that lead many, including the New York Times editorial board, to endorse military action.

But now that we are there we need a plan to get our forces home. I support the agenda that Senator Clinton has outlined;

* Phased redeployment
* Focus on stability with the assistance of the United Nations
* Intensive Regional Diplomacy

With regard to various city council resolutions on the War, I do not believe that the City Council, which has some very difficult issues to face, is best prepared to spend its time working on these issues. In my time in the Council, I have worked very hard on issues that affect the working men and women of my district and the City. As chair of the Sanitation Committee we have done some really good things on the environment, keeping the Landfill closed, and managing our solid waste.

On April 4, 1967, exactly one year before his assassination, Dr. King spoke at the Riverside Church here in New York City about our ... activities in Vietnam. His words were right then, and they are equally right now as we struggle to force our "leaders" to withdraw from Iraq.

The speech can be found at the American Rhetoric website.

In the race to replace Vito Fossella in New York's 13th Congressional District the arguments among and between the partisans of the aspirants for the Democratic Party nomination in New York’s 13 Congressional District has focused on almost anything but the issues. Personally, I’ve been dissatisfied with what seemed to be shaping up as an intensely insider debate. (Who can raise enough money? Who is a pawn of Vito Lopez? Who supported Sen. Martin J. Golden?) Process questions are important, but they should not take the place of policy discussion, as I see it.

In order to understand the difference between them, I called up both candidates and asked them about key issues. I’ve run the statements below by each candidate again so as to ensure their accuracy and opportunity to fine tune the positions. Corrections are welcome. In my view, the statements below point to some policy differences between Mr. Harrison and Mr. Recchia.

I asked about the views of Mr. Harrison and Mr. Recchia on other issues too: health care, civil liberties, the economy, the sub-prime lending crisis. Suggestions are welcome The statements post jump.

GOD of our fathers, known of old—
Lord of our far-flung battle-line—
Beneath whose awful Hand we hold
Dominion over palm and pine—
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget, lest we forget!

For heathen heart that puts her trust
In reeking tube and iron shard—
All valiant dust that builds on dust,
And guarding calls not Thee to guard—
For frantic boast and foolish word,
Thy Mercy on Thy People, Lord!

Tonight was a forum on Iraq sponsored by Democracy for NYC, Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats, Independent Neighborhood Democrats, Vietnam Veterans Against the War, Brooklyn Parents for Peace and MANY other groups. Jarrold Nadler, Anthony Weiner and my own Congresswoman Yvette Clarke showed up. Nydia Velazquez had planned to make it but had to attend a funeral. Ed Towns begged off with another commitment. Vito Fossella politely declined (big surprise...imaging HIM facing the common people about a real issue). Senators Clinton and Schumer were invited but chose not to even respond to the invitation, if I understood correctly. This goes along with what I have personally experienced with Chuck Schumer's office in the past where a bunch of disgruntled New York City Democrats were basically told upstate was more important than NYC.

My view of the event was affected by the fact I was watching Jacob. I missed all of Nadler's opening satement and half of Clarke's opening satement. I also had to leave early, as I am sure the audience heard when Jacob started feeling sick and calling loudly for mommy! But I have Joy's impressions and notes as well.

Once again, the Senate failed to pass a measure to bring our troops home and end the occupation of Iraq. This time, Democrats led by Carl Levin and Jack Reed couldn’t even muster 50 votes, much less the 60 needed to bring the bill to a final vote, but landed in a 47-47 tie. The constant failure to pick up Republican votes, and the continued refusal of Senate Democrats to seem willing to compromise, might seem like a sign of stubborn weakness matching only a similar set of traits at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue. On the other hand…

Could there be a method to this madness?

For a long time political insiders have understood that the easiest way to win an election is to allow your opponents to block a popular initiative and then blame them for the failure. This “failure and blame” strategy was spectacularly employed by Harry Truman to win reelection in 1948 by attacking the “do-nothing Congress.”

What issues matter to you? National defense? The rights of working class Americans? Seniors issues? A woman's right to choose? The environment?

On all of these issues, New York Republicans are out of touch with America. Most Americans want a strong national defense, support the rights of working class Americans, women and seniors, and place a high value on the environemnt. New York Congressional Republicans have the wrong priorities on national defense, support Halliburton profits but not a minimum wage increase, want to privatise Social Security, place the rights of pollutors over the environment and the health of Americans, and oppose a woman's right to choose.

By now, everyone is familiar with the MoveOn.org ad in the New York Times asking the question, “General Petraeus or General Betray Us?” It has raised a firestorm. It should be clear that the general’s testimony before Congress was a pathetic bunch of lies, including cherry-picked data and outright perjury (who really believes that he didn’t run his prepared statement by the White House before making it?).

But worse that General Petraeus’s lies is the continued lack of a spine among Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and far too many of his followers. He actually allowed Republicans to get a vote on a resolution, sponsored by Texas Republican John Cornyn condemning MoveOn.org’s ad – a resolution that garnered 72 votes. (N.B.: Senator Barbara Boxer, D-CA, tried to put in a softer resolution, but it failed to get 60 votes.)

To her credit, Senator Clinton actually voted against the resolution. To his credit, Senator Dodd, another presidential contender (sort of) actually voted against the resolution. To their shame, Senators Obama and Biden ducked the vote. To their collective shame, many other Democrats voted for the resolution.

This is pathetic!

So Bouldin was unhappy with the Brooklyn-centric front page this morning. Sorry...sometimes Brooklyn still is our best draw for readers. But to balance it out, here's some national coverage. Seems Republicans are going in hiding rather than facing America about the Iraq quagmire...sometimes literally! This comes from Americans Against Escalation in Iraq:

Members of Congress are Afraid to Face Their Constituents on Their Support for Endless War in Iraq

All Across the Country, Republicans who Supported Bush’s Failed Iraq policy are Running away from, Avoiding, and Even Locking Out Their Own Constituents