In stalling even a debate on President Bush's plan to put more American lives at risk in Iraq, the U.S. Senate has taken the wind out of its own sails. More to the point, the Senate is leaving the public adrift.

The two parties ought to find a way to have a reasoned debate that allows senators to at least provide some majority opinion on the reckless troop escalation. They failed to do so on Monday, and Republicans are advancing the strange idea that no resolution, even a non-binding one, should pass without the 60 votes to survive a filibuster.

The Senate Democratic leadership, for its part, looks poorly organized. And the most likely anti-escalation resolution is a weak bipartisan one, sponsored by Republican Sen. John Warner and Carl Levin, that says Congress shouldn't cut funds for troops in the field.

We disagree with the idea of Congress saying it won't exercise its constitutional power to review funding. A fund cutoff may prove to be the best way to prod action from the administration and Iraq's government, two remarkably obtuse groups.

The White House, however, fears the power of even a non-binding resolution in shaping future discussions. If it won't come to agreement with the Democrats on the terms of an Iraq war debate, the Republican Senate leadership will be engaged in the kind of enabling of an unjust, disastrously conducted war it practiced when the GOP controlled Congress. Democrats, for their part, need to show the kind of bipartisan cooperation they promised to win a full, open debate.

Soundoff (Read 59 comments)
Tell us what's on your mind.

Should the U.S. Senate approve a non-binding resolution opposing President Bush's Iraq escalation?
14.7% Yes	0.9% Yes, but with a promise not to cut funds
21.4% Yes, as a step toward cutting funds	10.3% No
15.6% No, President Bush is doing the right thing	14.2% No, it's too soon to know if the escalation will work but a resolution might hurt troop morale
21.7% Just get to the point and stop funds for the war	1.2% Other, not sure or don't care
Total Votes: 429