Anti-war democrats blocked again by US Senate
The US Senate blocked legislation on Friday that would have ordered most American troops home from Iraq within nine months, bringing to a close a losing week for Democrats who failed to push through any anti-war proposal.
The vote, 47-47, fell 13 votes short of the 60 needed to cut off debate.
“We are going to continue to lose lives and squander resources while the Iraqis dawdle,” said Sen Carl Levin, a Democrat, who sponsored the Bill.
Republicans blocked the measure, contending it would have dire consequences for the region and usurp control of the war from seasoned war generals on the ground there. Last week, Gen David Petraeus, the top US military commander in Iraq, recommended to Congress and US President George Bush that some 130,000 troops be kept there through to mid-2008 – a slight decrease from the more than 160,000 troops there now.
Petraeus’ congressional testimony is widely seen as a primary factor in shoring up support among Republicans, which had deteriorated steadily in recent months. While still nervous about the ongoing violence in Iraq and unpopularity of the war, many Republican members say they now remain hopeful that another year of combat will stabilise Iraq and prevent US troops from returning to the region a decade later.
“If we leave, we will be back – in Iraq and elsewhere – in many more desperate fights to protect our security and at an even greater cost in American lives and treasure,” said Sen John McCain, a presidential candidate and the top Republican on the armed services committee.
