Yesterday, the United States Senate voted 56 to 34 in favor of considering a bi-partisan resolution opposing President Bush's decision to increase the number of US troops in Iraq. Ten Senators did not vote.
It was widely understood that a vote in favor of considering the anti-surge resolution was a vote in favor of the resolution itself, in that every Senator who voted to consider the anti-surge resolution was expected to vote in favor of the resolution itself, had it been brought to a vote.
But the resolution itself will not immediately come to a vote, because Bush supporters in the Senate employed a parliamentary maneuver which required at least sixty votes in order to consider the resolution.
The concurrent resolution to be considered was the same as the one already passed by the House Of Representatives, which was . . .
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Disapproving of the decision of the president announced on 10 January 2007, to deploy more than 20,000 additional United States combat troops to Iraq.
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), that:
1. Congress and the American people will continue to support and protect the members of the United States Armed Forces who are serving or who have served bravely and honourably in Iraq; and
2. Congress disapproves of the decision of President George W Bush announced on 10 January 10 2007, to deploy more than 20,000 additional United States combat troops to Iraq.
Rev. Bill McGinnis is an Internet Christian minister, writer and publisher. He is Director of LoveAllPeople.org, a small private think tank in Alexandria, Virginia, and all of its related websites, including InternetChurchOfChrist.org,CommitteeForTheGoldenRule.org,CivicAmerican.com, and AmericanDemocrat.net. His agenda is to help maximize the happiness and well-being of all people. His blog is located at http://blog.myspace.com/revbillmcginnis
