Iraq war used as spark for election-year debate

WASHINGTON — Congress erupted in impassioned election-year debate over the Iraq war on Thursday, Republicans defending the conflict as key to winning the global struggle against terrorism while Democrats excoriated President Bush and his policies.

"We must stand firm in our commitment to fight terrorism and the evil it inflicts throughout the world. We must renew our resolve that the actions of evildoers will not dictate American policy," House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., said in remarks laden with references to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

The war was "a grotesque mistake," countered the Democratic leader, Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California. "The administration continues to dig a hole. They refuse to come up and see the light," she said.

The debate spilled across the Capitol to the Senate, which held a test vote on troop withdrawal. Republicans introduced legislation calling for withdrawal of combat forces by year's end, saying they had merely taken a proposal drafted by Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass. Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid sought to kill the GOP proposal.

Choreographed by the GOP, the debate unfolded four months before midterm elections that will decide the control of Congress. The administration, for its part, was so determined to get its message out that the Pentagon distributed a highly unusual "debate prep book" filled with ready-made answers for criticism of the war.

Partisan lines were drawn quickly.

"Is it al-Qaida or is it America? Let the voters take note of this debate," said Republican Rep. Charles Norwood of Georgia, attacking war critics as defeatists who do not deserve re-election.

Countered Rep. Carolyn Kilpatrick, D-Mich.: "America, listen. Look. Should we stay the course or should we have a plan of redeployment to protect our troops and to protect America?"

The United States has absorbed the deaths of 2,500 troops in the three-year conflict, which began when a U.S.-led invasion toppled Saddam Hussein, but quickly turned sour in the face of a brutal insurgency.

Reacting to the new milestone on combat deaths, White House press secretary Tony Snow said, "It's a number." He said that Bush "feels very deeply the pain that the families feel." As the updated death toll was announced at the Pentagon, the House and Senate held moments of silence.

Polls show the war has become unpopular. But Bush has tried to rally support in the days since the death of terror leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, and the recent completion of a new Iraqi government.