White House, GOP concede defeat on Iraq resolution

With 11 in party breaking ranks, White House sets sights on next fight: war funding

By JONATHAN WEISMAN
Washington Post

WASHINGTON — With Republicans speaking out Wednesday against President Bush's war policy on the House floor, GOP leaders and the White House conceded defeat on a resolution opposing sending additional U.S. troops to Iraq and began looking toward the coming battle about the war's funding.

On the second day of a four-day showdown over the nonbinding resolution, Democrats looked on as Republican dissidents denounced what they called Bush's ill-conceived plan to put 21,500 more combat troops in the middle of a sectarian civil war.

Some of the 11 Republicans who publicly broke with Bush were longtime opponents of the war, such as Reps. Walter Jones, of North Carolina, and Ron Paul, of Surfside, Texas. Others, such as Reps. Fred Upton, of Michigan, and Jim Ramstad, of Minnesota, had never sought the limelight and were almost apologetic in their speeches.

Rep. Ric Keller, of Florida, prefaced his statement with an affirmation of support for Bush. But, he said, a "surge" of troops had already been attempted in Baghdad. "The benefits were temporary," he said. "The body bags were permanent."

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