House begins Iraq resolution debate

updated 10:11 p.m. ET Feb. 13, 2007

WASHINGTON - Almost four years into the Iraq war, the House began a historic and emotional debate Tuesday on whether President Bush's decision to add more U.S. troops to the bloody conflict is a mistake that has to be reversed.

Democrats won control of Congress in last November's elections and were determined to pass a resolution disapproving of the president's decision to deploy more than 20,000 additional combat troops

"This is the debate that many of us have yearned for for four years," said Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-N.Y.

The measure, expected to be approved by the House on Friday, was nonbinding. But the message was unmistakable, said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who maintained that Bush's policies "have not worked, will not work and must be changed."

Republicans, in the minority for the first time in 12 years, issued emotional warnings of the consequences of undermining the president's policies in Iraq. "We will embolden terrorists in every corner in the world. We will give Iran free access to the Middle East," said Republican leader John Boehner, R-Ohio. "And who doesn't believe the the terrorists will just follow our troops home?"

Boehner teared up before reporters as he listened to Rep. Sam Johnson, R-Texas, describe being a prisoner of war in Vietnam and learning of U.S. protests back home.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., insisted that they had no intention of impeding the mission of those in Iraq. "There will be no defunding of troops in the field. There will be no defunding which will cause any risk to the troops," he said at a news conference.

Democrats expressed confidence the measure would prevail and said they would attempt to use it as the opening move in a campaign to pressure Bush to change course and end U.S. military involvement in the war. More than 3,100 U.S. troops have died in nearly four years of fighting.

FREE VIDEO Hoyer on Iraq Feb. 13: The House began its debate over the war in Iraq. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer discusses on Hardball.  Hardball

As the House moved toward debate this week, Senate Republicans opposed to Bush's Iraq plan sought to revive a vote on a similar resolution.

Democrats called on several freshmen who served in the military to make their argument against further commitments in Iraq.

Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Pa., a captain in the Army 82nd Airborne, said that "three years after I left Iraq, Americans are still running convoys up and down Ambush Alley and securing Iraqi street corners."

But Rep. David Dreier, R-Calif., stressed that "we go to war to win, we go to war with a mission." He said "we dishonor the lives of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice if we in fact abandon that mission. .... We have a duty to pursue nothing less than victory."

Republicans conceded that the measure was headed for approval and said a few dozen members of the GOP were likely to break ranks and vote for it.

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