GOP advances Dems’ anti-war bill

GOP advances Dems’ anti-war bill

Democrats said they welcome a debate on Iraq.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans refused to give an inch on the Democrats’ anti-war bills. Until suddenly they did.

In an about-face, the Republicans agreed Tuesday to advance a bill that would cut off money for Iraq combat — not because they favored it, they said, but because the extra debate would give them time to hail progress in Iraq.

The change of heart came after months of blocking similar measures. But unlike most of last year, security conditions in Iraq have improved, and Republicans say they now feel they have the upper hand on the debate.

“We welcome a discussion about Iraq,” Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell declared.

The measure, by Democratic Sens. Russ Feingold of Wisconsin and Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, would cut off money for combat after 120 days. It had been expected to fall short of the 60 votes needed to overcome a procedural hurdle.

But after Republicans agreed in a private meeting that the debate could help make their case, the Senate voted 70-24 to begin it in earnest.

Aides said a final vote could come later this week, but may be pushed into next week.

The White House said the president would veto any such measure.

“This legislation would substitute the political judgment of legislators for the considered professional military judgment of our military commanders,” the administration said in a statement.

Democrats said they welcomed the debate, although they accused Republicans of stalling on plans to debate other issues, namely the nation’s housing crisis.

Reid said “a civil war rages” in Iraq and shouldn’t be the responsibility of U.S. taxpayers.

“Americans need to start taking care of Americans,” he said. “We cannot spend a half billion dollars every day in Iraq.”

In recent months, violence in Iraq has subsided significantly, and the Baghdad government has made small steps toward political reconciliation, including plans to hold provincial elections Oct. 1.

While Democratic voters remain largely against the war, polls have shown, the security improvement has helped to cool anxiety among Republicans and turned voters’ focus to economic problems at home.

Still, Republicans say they have more convincing to do if they are to control the White House next year.

Sen. John McCain, the GOP’s likely presidential nominee, said this week that to win he must convince a war-weary country that U.S. policy in Iraq in succeeding.

If he can’t, “then I lose. I lose,” the Arizona Republican said, though he quickly softened that declaration.

McCain was not expected to return to Washington for the debate. But he said he opposes the bill.

“If ever there was a case for precipitous withdrawal from Iraq — and I believe there never was — now is the last time anyone should consider such a step,” he said in a statement.

Tuesday’s Senate vote came as the Army’s top general said he wants to reduce combat tours for soldiers in Iraq from 15 months to 12 months this summer.

Gen. George Casey, the Army chief of staff, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that he would not embrace going back to the longer tours even if President Bush decided to suspend troop reductions for the second half of the year. The Army is under serious strain from years of war-fighting, he testified, and must reduce the length of combat tours as soon as possible.

“The cumulative effects of the last six-plus years at war have left our Army out of balance, consumed by the current fight and unable to do the things we know we need to do to properly sustain our all-volunteer force and restore our flexibility for an uncertain future,” Casey said.

Casey, who was the top U.S. commander in Iraq before taking the chief of staff job last spring, told the committee that cutting the time soldiers spend in combat is an integral part of reducing stress on the force.