Anti-war groups increase pressure on centrist Republicans

Anti-war groups yesterday challenged GOP Sens. Richard Lugar (Ind.) and George Voinovich (Ohio) to make good on their criticisms of the White House’s Iraq policy by voting with Democrats on the defense authorization bill.

{mosads}Lugar and Voinovich jolted the Capitol this week, bluntly urging President Bush to reverse recent troop increases in Iraq before the September report from Gen. David Petraeus that many Republicans are awaiting. Americans Against Escalation in Iraq, a coalition of anti-war groups pressuring centrist Republicans to turn against the war, hopes that the two lawmakers’ comments will spur new conversions from Senate Republicans facing reelection next year.

“What’s important here is that people put their vote where their mouth is,” the Washington director of MoveOn.org, Tom
Matzzie, said.

Votes on four Democratic amendments aimed at forcing Bush’s hand in Iraq are likely to come just after next week’s recess.