GOP Senators Pushing for Full Debate on Iraq

When the GOP filibustered the attempt by Harry Reid to limit debate on Iraq to the one resolution he liked, the media immediately spun the story 180 degrees wrong. It looked yesterday that the Dems had decided to abandon the fight, but the GOP isn't going to let them:

"Senate Republicans who earlier this week helped block deliberations on a resolution opposing President Bush's new troop deployments in Iraq changed course yesterday and vowed to use every tactic at their disposal to ensure a full and open debate," the Washington Post reports.

"In a letter distributed yesterday evening to Senate leaders, John W. Warner (Va.), Chuck Hagel (Neb.) and five other GOP supporters of the resolution threatened to attach their measure to any bill sent to the floor in the coming weeks."

I predict the press will get this wrong too, and will try to paint this as a slap at GOP leader Mitch McConnell instead an attempt to put Harry Reid in a box he doesn't want to be in. However, if these guys stick with it, Reid will be forced to allow debate on more than just the Warner-Levin resolution, and that could create a tough spot for the Dems if they have to vote on issues they don't want to see passed (like the Gregg-Lieberman resolution).

We'll see whether this turns out to be a good idea. Word is the Dems are planning a stripped down resolution which simply opposes the surge in the hopes of dragging bunch of weak-kneed GOP Senators along for the ride. That will likely work.