BAGHDAD — Iraqi troops have passed a key test by showing up at 70 percent strength or better for President Bush's "surge" in Baghdad, a senior U.S. general said.
"This movement of these three brigades and two separate battalions into Baghdad to our way of looking at it has gone very well," Lt. Gen. Martin Dempsey, commander of the Multi-National Security Transition Command-Iraq, said in an interview.
"We've also learned more lessons from this one, and in future deployments, we'll make it even better," added Gen. Dempsey, the top American in charge of building up Iraq's security forces.
Republicans Standing Up for the Iraqi's.
WASHINGTON — In a rare Saturday session, one day after the House issued a stinging rebuke to President Bush’s plan to boost the number of troops in Iraq, Senate Democrats were unable to muster the 60 votes necessary to end a Republican filibuster and pass what has become a symbol of resistance to the war.
It was the second time in recent days that the Senate was stymied by parliamentary rules requiring the consent of a supermajority before any action could be taken on the anti-war resolution.
The vote was 56-34, with 7 Republicans joining 49 Democrats. Both Illinois senators, Dick Durbin and Barack Obama, voted to cut off debate and proceed to a vote on the resolution.
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