So now another Dem Presidential hopeful has stepped forward to oppose the idea of a troop "surge" in Iraq: Joe Biden.

The Associated Press reports that Biden spoke out strongly against an increase today in a conversation with reporters. "I just think it's the absolute wrong strategy," he said, adding that Republicans who don't oppose a troop "surge" do so at their party's political peril: "I think we'll only have to accept responsibility for the war if we remain silent."

Though Biden is often seen as inhabiting the hawkish end of the Dem spectrum, he's now placed himself firmly in the ranks of those against a surge, putting him in the company of Iowa governor Tom Vilsack, Senator Hillary Clinton, and several other Dem Presidential hopefuls who oppose an increase in troops to Iraq.

As became very clear today, Biden intends to use his opposition to an increase in troops to elevate his political profile as incoming head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in preparation for his Presidential race. For instance, he says he'll hold a series of hearings on Iraq beginning January 9th, and claims that Secretary of State Condoleezza has agreed to testify. According to Biden, the express purpose of the hearings is to build "bipartisan" support against a troop surge.

Of course, it's worth recalling that Biden hasn't always been so uncompromising in his opposition to Bush's war policies. He was less than prescient back in 2002, when he voted for the war and even told Larry King the following: "I think the President's got it just right." Biden even contended that Bush was "playing this out the way he should play it out," to avoid becoming a lone occupying power in Iraq.