Looks like Hillary's now trying to force the issue with the Pentagon -- she's just revealed that she will be authoring legislation, with Senator Kerry, that would force the Pentagon to brief Congress on any plans it has drawn up for pulling out of Iraq in the event that Congress mandates it.

This demand on Hillary's part to see the Pentagon's contingency plans for withdrawal -- which she first made in May -- was what sparked Under Secretary of Defense Eric Edelman's dismissal of her query as aiding and abetting the enemy, a story that exploded yesterday. That, in turn, led to Hillary's stinging response to Defense Secretary Gates today.

Now the battle continues. More after the jump.

Clinton spokesperson Philippe Reines emails:

Senators Clinton and Kerry will join forces on legislation to require a report and briefing from the Pentagon to Congress on contingency planning for withdrawal from Iraq.

This legislative effort is a direct result of Under Secretary Edelman's unacceptable response. Senator Clinton sent a serious letter on a matter of national security to the Secretary of Defense, and in response, received an unacceptable and alarming political attack from an under secretary.

Hillary and Kerry will brief the press on the new initiative this afternoon.

As Ben Smith observes, this could actually end up being the first anti-Iraq War legislation signed into law -- no small thing. It also deftly advances Hillary's political goal of keeping alive the fight with Edelman, which is hands-down a political winner for Hillary.

After all, given Hillary's imperatives within the context of Dem Primary politics, Clinton spokesperson Howard Wolfson himself probably couldn't dream up a better storyline right now than "Hillary dukes it out with the Pentagon over Iraq."