US Senate votes against debating Iraq war rebuke

WASHINGTON, Feb 17 (Reuters) The US Senate tody refused to consider a resolution denouncing President George W. Bush's Iraq troop buildup that the US House of Representatives passed the day before.

For the second time in two weeks, the Senate voted not to debate a non-binding measure that would repudiate Bush's recent decision to send 21,500 troops to Iraq to bolster security in Baghdad and Anbar province. The Democrats had wanted to bring the measure to the floor but failed to overcome Republican resistance.

The vote was 56 in favour and 34 against. Under Senate rules, 60 votes were needed to bring the resolution to the floor for debate. Before the vote, Democrats argued in vain for minority Republicans to break with Bush and support taking up the measure.

The Senate's rare Saturday session came on a day US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made an unannounced visit to Baghdad.

''If we believe plunging into Baghdad neighborhoods with more American troops will not increase chances of success, we are duty bound to say so, and a minority of senators should not thwart that expression,'' said Michigan Democratic Senator Carl Levin, chairman of the Armed Services Committee.

The 435-member House, capping four days of impassioned debate, defied the Republican president on Friday, voting 246 to 182 against the troop increase in what amounted to the first such rebuke since the US-led invasion in March 2003.

The House measure passed with support of virtually all the chamber's 233 Democrats and 17 of its 201 Republicans, many worried about their political fate if they stick with the president on the war. Polls say most Americans oppose adding more troops in Iraq.

But in the Senate, procedural rules allow a minority to block debate and Democrats have but a 51-49 majority. The upper chamber has been deadlocked on the issue since February 5. On that day, an attempt failed to bring up a similar resolution opposing the troop buildup.

Senate Republican leaders say they oppose considering measures denouncing Bush's Iraq strategy unless Democrats also agree to allow a vote on a rival Republican-backed proposal forbidding a cutoff of funding to US troops.

Republicans today accused Democrats of being divided on the funding issue and afraid to bring it to a vote.

''The reason we are here on Saturday playing stupid political games ... is because our colleagues on the other side of the aisle are afraid to take a vote on cutting off funding,'' declared Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican.

''This is a very, very sad Saturday for the US Senate on the heels of a disaster in the US House,'' Graham said.

House Democrats are considering ways to restrict Bush's use of 93.4 billion dollars in new war funds to keep him from using it for the troop buildup. Several Republicans condemned that as a ''slow bleed'' of the war effort.

While the House-passed resolution would not force Bush to act, supporters hope it will prompt him to reverse unpopular war policies and start bringing home troops.

The White House yesterday said the House was inviting failure in Iraq. ''Members of Congress are taking their own gamble here, the gamble on failure,'' White House spokesman Tony Snow said.

''The president has a plan for success, it's all aimed at success.'' Reuters PKS VP0110