Congressional Action on Iraq

In case you're thinking Congress is only in the business of passing non-binding resolution, be aware that there are several things going on at once:

Waiting in the wings is binding legislation that would fully fund Bush's $100 billion request for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan but add four conditions: Soldiers and Marines could be deployed to Iraq only after being certified as fully trained and equipped. National Guardsmen and reservists could be subject to no more than two deployments, or roughly 12 months of combat duty. The administration could use none of the money for permanent bases in Iraq. And additional funding for the National Guard and reserves must be spent to retool operations at home, such as emergency response.

"It's only the bark," Rep. James P. Moran Jr. (D-Va.) said of this week's resolution. "The real bite comes with the spending bill."

It's only a beginning. Still, it's a beginning.