A sharply divided House voted Friday to order President Bush to bring combat troops home from Iraq next year, a victory for Democrats in an epic war-powers struggle, and Congress's boldest challenge yet to the administration's policy.

I assume, that if the bill ever gets to the President's desk for him to sign, he will just use the line-item veto--excuse me, a Signing Statement--to strike from the bill whatever provisions he sees as limiting his royal powers and keep the funding intact.

My guess is that's why the opposition to the bill eased and it passed. Bushies know it will be honored in the rejection, defeated in the Signing Statement and/or in the (non)implementation.

Machiavelli? We don't need no advisory Machivelli.