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Senate Debates Iraq Policy

The Senate is considering amendments that would set a deadline for withdrawing troops from Iraq. The NewsHour reports on the debate.

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  • GWEN IFILL:

    Should we stay, or should we go? The Senate reignited that debate today. NewsHour congressional correspondent Kwame Holman reports.

    SEN. BARBARA BOXER (D), California: How many more explosive devices are going to blow up in the faces of our troops before we start bringing them home?

  • KWAME HOLMAN:

    The Senate Democrats pushing for a redeployment of troops from Iraq expect the situation there will only get worse. U.S. troops continue to die — 29 so far this month — as the sectarian violence they're policing continues. The Congressional Research Service says the war is costing $10 billion a month. And a White House report later this week is expected to conclude that Iraqi leaders have not met a series of benchmarks required by Congress.

    Michigan Democrat Carl Levin is chairman of the Armed Services Committee.

    SEN. CARL LEVIN (D), Michigan: Without setting a date to begin a phased reduction of troops and a phased redeployment of troops, there is much too little pressure on the Iraqi leaders to do what only they can do, which is to work out a political settlement.