Feb. 16 — A sharply divided House of Representatives passed a resolution on Friday formally repudiating President Bush’s decision to send more than 20,000 new combat troops to
Iraq.
The rare wartime rebuke to the commander in chief — an act that is not binding, but that carries symbolic significance — was approved 246-to-182, with 17
Republicans breaking ranks to join all but two Democrats in supporting the resolution.
Passage was never in doubt, but the debate, lasting full days and much of three nights, brought nearly every member to the floor to declare, briefly but often vehemently, where they stood on a short, resolution affirming support for the troops but denouncing Mr. Bush’s new approach to the war.
“We owe our troops a course of action in Iraq that is worthy of their sacrifice,” said Speaker
Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat. “Today, we set the stage for a new direction in Iraq.”