An absolutely historic vote just occurred in the U.S. Senate. By a vote of 50 - 48, the Senate rejected the Cochran amendment to strip out the Iraq troop withdrawal timetable language from the Supplemental appropriation. Here is the 411: The Senate just approved withdrawal timetable language for the first time. This means that both the House and Senate feel the war in Iraq needs to be limited and that our troops need to come home and they are using the power of the purse strings to try and make that happen.
The bill is not perfect. It's still non-binding, but it is a critical and symbolic vote to change the course of the war. The Senate bill will go to a conference with the House bill that passed last week.
Lieberman and Mark Pryor from Arkansas voted with the Republicans, of course. GOP Senators Oregon's Gordon Smith and Nebraska's Chuck Hagel voted with the Democrats.
The bill will be conferenced in committee but will, in some form, wind up on Bush's desk to sign or veto. He has already said he will veto it so when he does he will be the sole supporter of and endless war in the Middle East.
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