MoveOn.org goes after Giuliani

Republican Rudy Giuliani scored some political points last week by condemning an ad bought by MoveOn.org to attack the top US military commander in Iraq and by trying to tar Democrat Hillary Clinton with the controversy.

Today, the antiwar group, which claims 3.2 million members, hit back.

Its political action committee bought an ad that attacks the former New York mayor for skipping out on meetings of the Iraq Study Group, which called last December for sweeping changes in US strategy in Iraq.

The ad accuses of Giuliani of going "AWOL" and eventually quitting the study group when he had the chance to influence policy and instead making paid speeches. The spot will run in Iowa, site of the first caucus of the presidential nomination process. Giuliani's camp has said they would wear what they called MoveOn.org's character assassination tactics as "a badge of honor."

The study group, a bipartisan group of prominent leaders, recommended a change in the role of US forces from combat to training, a withdrawal and for a new diplomatic initiative with countries in the region. Democrats picked up on the report, but have been stymied by the Bush from turning it into policy.

President Bush, after the congressional testimony of General David H. Petraeus, said last week that he would accept the general's recommendations to draw down US forces by next July to about the same level as before the so-called surge this year added 30,000 troops.

MoveOn.org also started ads today accusing President Bush of a "betrayal of trust" for not withdrawing troops faster from Iraq.