Having failed to pass legislation setting a deadline to end the war in Iraq, Senate Democrats signaled Friday they are now willing to compromise with Republicans by introducing a softer anti-war policy.
Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee, said Friday he plans to write an amendment to the annual defense policy bill that would set only a goal, not a firm deadline, for U.S. forces to exit Iraq within nine months.
Levin made the announcement shortly after Republicans and a few Democrats soundly defeated an amendment he sponsored that would have required troop withdrawal to be completed within nine months.
The amendment, which needed 60 votes for passage, failed 47-47.
“We are now going to spend the weekend drafting language aimed at picking up additional people, particularly Republicans,” Levin said.
Senate Democrats, who hold a one-vote majority over Republicans, have little choice but to compromise with the GOP if they ever hope to pass a bill that aims to bring an end to the war.
The failure of the Levin amendment Friday marked the third time this weekthat Republicans blocked harder anti-war legislation. On Thursday, the Senate defeated 70-28 an amendment by Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., that would have required troops to be sent home by June 2008, at which time funding for the war would be cut off. Earlier in the week, senators narrowly rejected an amendment by Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., that would have lengthened rest times for troops.
Democratic leaders seemed content with the losses and said their efforts would at least put pressure on Republicans and President Bush to alter the current war strategy.
“We are not changing our strategy,” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said Thursday. “We feel extremely comfortable with where we are. We are doing the right thing.”
But on Friday, Reid indicated he would support softened language, Levin said.
Levin insisted Democrats are not backing down by removing the binding withdrawal date. “We are incrementally putting on pressure,” he said.
Levin’s proposal would call for U.S. forces to start leaving Iraq within 90 days. It would set a goal that most troops would be out within nine months and would direct the military to change the mission of the remaining troops to one aimed at combating terrorism.
“There is, I believe, a very strong majority here to change the mission of our troops,” Levin said.
For every Republican supporter Levin picks up with the weakened amendment, he stands to lose Democrats who will only back harder anti-war legislation.
Levin said he would have to first draft a provision that will appease Republicans, then determine how much Democratic support he can retain.
“I’ll be on the phone Sunday,” Levin said.
