Presidents should know they’re in political trouble when members of their own party break with them, especially U.S. Senators. That has happened now on Iraq.

The Republican Senator is Gordon Smith from Oregon. CNN quoted Smith – “in an emotional speech on the Senate floor” last week – as saying the U.S. military’s “tactics have failed” and he “cannot support that anymore.”

Smith, who had been a supporter of the war, said:

“I am at the end of my rope when it comes to supporting a policy that has our soldiers patrolling the same streets in the same way, being blown up the same bombs, day after day.

“That is absurd. It may even be criminal.”

Some columnist – I wish I could remember who – predicted this several weeks ago. He or she said “when these things start to break, they break from the inside” – that is, inside the President’s party.

It’s starting to break.

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