I’m not one for patting somebody on the butt for finally doing what they should have been doing all along, so don’t mistake this for a friendly tap on the ass. I do, however, think that the news that John Warner is publicly splitting with the President over the escalation with a non binding resolution is a pretty solid indication that things have rapidly gotten out of hand for the White House and the unraveling of public support for the war is almost complete. If there ever was a time for resolutions of the binding variety, this seems to be it.

CNN Transcript from Think Progress:

DANA BASH: Well, today, we are going to hear from a very influential, a senior Republican, making clear that he does not support the president on increasing the troop levels in Iraq. That Republican is the senior senator from Virginia, the former Armed Services Chairman in the Senate, John Warner.

We are told that he is going to introduce a resolution late this afternoon along with at least one other Republican and a conservative Democrat, making clear that he believes that sending more U.S. troops into what he has called increasing sectarian violence is a mistake.

And that is a message, certainly that is not going to sit well with the White House because John Warner, as I said, is a very influential voice when it comes to military matters, especially the Iraq war. Until this fall, he had been whole-heartedly behind the president and the war. He’s somebody who has a lot of sway with his colleagues, Republicans and Democrats here on the Hill.

Adding…From Booman:

This is not an earthquake. This is Krakatoa. No Senator has a veto over the president’s foreign policy, but Warner comes as close as you can get. With Warner’s defection there is cover for every Democrat to oppose Bush’s plan.

I watched Senator Jon Kyl speak in the Senate today. He made a fairly reasonable plea to his fellow Senators that they not undermine the escalation by voting for the non-binding resolution. He correctly noted that such a resolution would send a highly discouraging message to our troops and would embolden our enemies. It’s a testament to how completely discredited the administration is that the Senate would even consider undermining the president’s plan. But for John Warner to introduce the resolution is the final straw.

I hope that Warner is prepared to take the next absolutely necessary step, if and when Bush refuses to back down. They cannot remain in office.