So Senators Warner (R), Collins (R), and Nelson (D) have just unveiled their resolution condemning President Bush’s escalation plan. It’s meant as a softer alternative to the “toughly worded” resolution introduced last week by Senators Hagel (R) and Biden (D). So what are the differences?
From today’s Warner-Collins resolution:
…the Senate disagrees with the âplanâ to augment our forces by 21,500, and urges the President instead to consider all options and alternatives for achieving the strategic goals set forth below with reduced force levels than proposed…
And here’s the corresponding passage from last week’s Hagel-Biden resolution:
…it is not in the national interest of the United States to deepen its military involvement in Iraq, particularly by escalating the United States military force presence in Iraq…
So “escalate” in the Hagel-Biden resolution became “augment” in today’s Warner-Collins one. This key revision is supposed to help make it easier for more Senators to sign on and declare their opposition to an escalation plan that’s opposed by roughly 60 percent of the American public in most polls.
Your public servants at work.
You can see the two resolutions here and here in our TPM Document Collection. For more on this unsightly burlesque, click here.
