The congressional vote to set a date for U.S. combat troops to withdraw from Iraq is a political maneuver from politicians who are more interested in "sending a message" and scoring political points than in meaningful leadership.

The legislation would be bad enough if that was all it did was set a timetable for withdrawal. But the House and Senate measures don't stop there.

The House measure includes funding for healthcare for wounded military personnel and veterans plus money for military equipment and housing allowances.

That allows critics to claim those who voted against the measure have "failed our troops" or "voted against funding for our troops."

Those aren't the musings of a cynical editorial board. Those are words from e-mails from groups such as Americans Against Escalation in Iraq and Americans United for Change.

Don't believe those claims.

Our area's Republican congressmen, Tim Johnson, Ray LaHood and Jerry Weller opposed H.R. 1591 with good reason.

Not only did the bill set a deadline that would help the enemy more than help our troops, the bill is full of pork that has nothing - absolutely nothing - to do with supporting troops or fighting terrorism.

LaHood said the "extraneous, non-emergency spending" tossed into this bill amounts to $25 billion - that's billion with a "b."

It includes money for levees in New Orleans, peanut farmers in Georgia, spinach growers in California and shrimp fishermen.

Even with all that, the bill barely squeaked by with a 218-212 vote, largely along party lines - with 14 Democrats voting against it, one voting present and two not voting. Two Republicans supported it. One did not vote.

Meanwhile, the Senate is considering similar proposals.

Who knows what additional pork will be added to attract votes as lawmakers work out the differences between the two measures?

Regardless, the changes are unlikely to attract enough votes to override the near-certain veto by President Bush.

That sets up the possibility of delayed funding needed by the military to continue its work, including its work in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Congressman LaHood hit the mark: "We must pass a clean supplemental (bill) that is focused on meeting military needs. We must quit being 435 commanders-in-chief and allow our military leaders on the ground in Iraq to continue to use their skill and expertise to prosecute the war free of political interference."