Senate panel votes 12-9 against troop increase in Iraq

January 24, 2007

On Wednesday, the voted 12–9 against President George Bush's plan to send 21,500 additional US troops to Iraq. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is made up of 11 Democrats and 10 Republicans.

The main statement in their resolution says, "[I]t is not in the national interest of the United States to deepen its military involvement in Iraq, particularly by increasing the United States military force presence in Iraq."

Senator (R) said, "We better be damn sure we know what we're doing, all of us, before we put 22,000 more Americans into that grinder."

Senator (D) said, "not an attempt to embarrass the president. ... It's an attempt to save the president from making a significant mistake with regard to our policy in Iraq."

Senator (R) said, "I am not confident that President Bush's plan will succeed."

The full Senate debate on the Iraq troop increase will begin next week.