Even on his way out of office, President Bush has muscle on Iraq

“He may not be able to produce results in a lot of domestic policy,” said Andy Card, who was the president’s chief of staff until a year ago. “He has to succeed in the war on terror, of which Iraq is definitely a part. He’ll be defined by Iraq.”

Historically, when two-term presidents become lame ducks in the domestic arena, they turn to foreign policy as a way to wrap up their time in office. Some resort to inconsequential globetrotting. Former President Bill Clinton tried in vain to solve the Israeli-Palestinian dispute.

But Bush, whose efforts to reform Social Security and enact other domestic initiatives have fizzled, continues to wield significant influence on his signature issue, the effort to democratize Iraq. Both Democrats and Republicans consider it the most pressing challenge facing America.

Bush flexed his muscle on the issue Wednesday by threatening to veto a congressional timetable for withdrawing U.S. forces from Iraq. In the process, he put Democrats in the difficult position of choosing between the timetable and cutting off funding for troops.

University of Dayton history professor Larry Schweikart said last year’s Democratic takeover of Congress made it inevitable that Bush would stake the remainder of his presidency on Iraq. To that end, Bush has surged additional troops into the war-torn nation.

“Without your party in the House or Senate, it’s going to be pretty hard to do anything other than your signature issue,” Schweikart said. “The good news in his favor is that this surge is working. I mean it is really working.”

Meanwhile, the president is not expected to completely throw in the towel on domestic issues during the final 22 months of his term.

“Others may call him a lame duck, but I don’t think he will accept the label,” Card said. “That’s because he’s going to fight for relevance for that which he believes is important.”

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