Rumsfeld Resignation by James Bowman, U.S. Air Force (DOD Photo 061108-F-5586B-158), originally uploaded by pingnews.com.

The criticism of President Bush’s Iraq policy by three Republican senators is troubling for many reasons, but it also suggests that Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice are not paying adequate attention to their allies in Congress. Sen. Pete Dominici (R.-N.M.) today joined his colleagues Sen. Richard Lugar (R.-Ind.) and Sen. George Voinovich (R.-Ohio) to call for a “new strategy that will move our troops out of combat operations and on the path to coming home.”

The GOP defections aren’t likely to stop. Other moderates who are either worried about winning re-election or dissatisfied with the Bush administration are going to peel off as well, emboldening the Democrats to make another run at cutting off funding for our troops. In fact, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D.-Nev.) called on the three Republican defectors to “back up their words with action” by using the defense authorization bill next week as a means to end the war.

I know former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld had his critics, but the one thing he didn’t have to worry about was Republicans’ abandoning President Bush. The same can’t be said for Gates. It’s an unfortunate turn of events, especially in light of the recent departure of Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The administration’s new direction seems very troubling for those of us who have stood firm as its allies.