Bush renews vow to veto Iraq troop withdrawal

The battle within
Sen. John McCain, a 2008 Republican presidential aspirant, called the vote "a very bad decision."

McCain, appearing on NBC's "Today" show Wednesday from Orlando, Fla., said the war "was badly mismanaged. But there are signs of progress everywhere. ... I am confident that given the opportunity, we can have success. The consequences of failure are catastrophic because if we come home, bin Laden and Zarqawi, they are going to follow us."

Senate Republicans tried Tuesday to strip out the withdrawal language but failed in a 50-48 vote. One Democrat — Sen. Mark Pryor of Arkansas — sided with Republicans in opposition to the public deadline, contending such a measure would broadcast U.S. war plans to the enemies.

"Congress should not define how long our enemy has to hang on to win," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.

Sen. Chuck Hagel delivered the deciding vote by joining anti-war Republican Gordon Smith of Oregon in breaking ranks and voting with Democrats to put a nonbinding end date on the war.

"We have misunderstood, misread, misplanned and mismanaged our honorable intentions in Iraq with an arrogant self-delusion reminiscent of Vietnam," said Hagel, R-Neb.

Pryor said he supports setting a deadline for U.S. involvement in Iraq, but only so long as such a date remains classified. Pryor compares the 2008 date set by his Democratic colleagues akin to announcing to the Germans plans for the U.S. invasion of France in World War II.

But ultimately, Pryor said, he will vote in favor of the bill.

"At the end of the day, the end of the process, I'm going to support the troops," he said.

Just the beginning
Sen. Chuck Schumer said he sees Tuesday's vote as the first step in turning up the heat on Bush's war policies.

NBC VIDEO Senate votes for March troop withdrawal March 27: NBC's Chip Reid tells Brian Williams about the Senate's vote to keep Iraq pullout language in the Iraq war funding bill. Nightly News

"This is not one battle; it's a long-term campaign," Schumer, D-N.Y., told reporters.

The vote leaves hanging a small group of Republicans frustrated by the war and wanting to go on record as such but opposed to setting a timetable.

In recent months, GOP Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, John Warner of Virginia, Norm Coleman of Minnesota and Olympia Snowe of Maine wanted legislation expressing opposition to Bush's war strategy and setting goals for the Iraqi government to meet in exchange for continued U.S. support.

But each said they opposed setting a firm timetable on the war and sided with their Republican colleagues.

"My vote against this rapid withdrawal does not mean that I support an open-ended commitment of U.S. troops to Iraq," Collins said in a statement issued after the vote.

If Bush's strategy in Iraq does not show "significant results" by fall, "then Congress should consider all options including a redefinition of our mission and a gradual but significant withdrawal of our troops next year."

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