In Washington today, the Senate is planning to debate the merits of a nonbinding resolution criticizing President Bush’s escalation of the Iraq War. Several prominent Republican senators, including Nebraska’s Chuck Hagel, have voiced support for the measure.

Sen. Chuck Hagel: “We need to have this debate. Every senator needs to have an opportunity to express him or herself and be put on the record here. We’re sending young men and women off to war, and apparently we’re escalating that military involvement in Iraq. The American people want to know where we stand and why, what’s our position. And I think that’s fair, it’s responsible.”

Republican Senator John McCain criticized the resolution.

Sen. John McCain: “To my Republican colleagues, we have a disagreement, and I hope they keep in mind that this is fundamentally a vote of no confidence in the people that we are sending on this mission in harm’s way. We are telling them we support you, but we believe your mission will fail, and we don’t support what you’re doing. I think that’s a vote of no confidence.”