Meanwhile on Capitol Hill, the House will vote today on a nonbinding resolution opposing the deployment of 21,000 more troops to Iraq. The vote follows three days of debate on the House floor. On Thursday, Republican Congressmember Cathy McMorris Rodgers argued in favor of the troop increase.

Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers: “Supporting our troops but not supporting the war is not an option. Victory is the only real choice. The consequences of failure are unacceptable. Abandoning Iraq will embolden the militants, create a humanitarian crisis impacting millions. Instability in the Middle East will create more violence and will leave the U.S. vulnerable to future attacks. I urge my colleagues to oppose this resolution.”

As many as two dozen Republicans are expected to vote with the Democrats in opposing the troop increase. If the resolution passes, it will mark the first time Congress has voted against President Bush’s Iraq War policy. Also Thursday, Democratic Congressmember Paul Kanjorski said Congress should vote against escalating the war.

Rep. Paul Kanjorski: “The president, the vice president and the former secretary of defense believed they could fight this war on the cheap, with too few troops, too little armor and too little help. They were wrong, and now it is too late. Mr. Speaker, from my perspective, the resolution before us today has been long overdue.”