As witht he port deal, there are signs that Democrats are aware of their incredible vulnerability on national security issues and are looking for ways to blunt the criticism of the party’s incoherence on the war in time for the fall campaigns.

Blasting the port deal (see below) is one way, and the other is to support higher military pay, as ten Democratic senators have done.

The Adminsitration should be careful to review every such call and to accept it if possible, balanced by a non-defense spending cut to keep the budget impact of the pay hike neutral.