G.O.P. Loses Vote on War Fundinghttp://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-US-Iraq.html?hp">link
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Senate on Friday blocked a Democratic proposal that would have paid for the Iraq war but required that troops start coming home.
The 53-45 vote was seven votes short of the 60 needed to advance. It came minutes after the Senate rejected a Republican proposal to pay for the Iraq war with no strings attached.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said the only way to get troops the money was to approve the restrictions outlined by Democrats.
''Our troops continue to fight and die valiantly. And our Treasury continues to be depleted rapidly, for a peace that we seem far more interested in achieving than Iraq's own political leaders,'' Reid said.
Republicans said Democrats were being irresponsible.
''We need to get our troops everything they need,'' said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. ''We need to get it to them right now.''
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-US-Iraq.html?hp">More
How long before the Democrats cave? The spin will be constant, as it has always been, that this money is somehow going to "the troops."