Feinstein warns Republicans not to stop Iraq debate (Reuters)

Feinstein warns Republicans not to stop Iraq debate

By Susan Cornwell
Reuters
Sunday, February 4, 2007; 2:10 PM

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrat Sen. Dianne Feinstein on Sunday warned
Republicans not to block consideration of a measure opposing President Bush's troop
increase in Iraq, saying it would be a "terrible mistake" to prevent debate on the
top issue in America.

With a Senate vote set for Monday on whether to consider the bipartisan resolution,
Feinstein warned that if the nonbinding measure is blocked, even tougher proposals
against the president's Iraq policy will surface before long.

"It's obstructionism," the California senator fumed about Senate Republican leaders'
strategy to prevent debate on the resolution by Sens. John Warner, a Virginia
Republican, and Carl Levin, a Michigan Democrat.

-snip-

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, said on Friday that
even Warner and other Republicans who backed the resolution would vote to block
debate on it unless at least two Republican alternatives could also be considered.

-snip-