Pullout rejected 403-3

The House last night overwhelmingly voted down a resolution calling for immediate withdrawal from Iraq, as Republicans tried to draw a line in the sand after a week’s worth of back-and-forth charges over the war.

The resolution failed 403-3, with six voting present. Those voting for it were Democrats Cynthia A. McKinney of Georgia, Robert Wexler of Florida and Jose E. Serrano of New York.

Republican leaders wanted to force Democrats to take a stand on whether they endorsed Pennsylvania Democrat Rep. John P. Murtha’s Thursday proposal to begin a six-month withdrawal from Iraq.

Rep. Duncan Hunter, California Republican and chairman of the Armed Services Committee, put a resolution on the floor for a vote urging “that the deployment of United States forces in Iraq be terminated immediately.”

“We’re going to let every member answer that, and I hope the message that goes back to our troops in Iraq is that we do not support a precipitous pullout,” Mr. Hunter said before the vote.

Other Republicans were more direct: “We’ll put it to a vote, see if Democrats really want immediate withdrawal,” said Rep. Jack Kingston, the Georgia Republican who represents the home base of the Army’s 3rd Infantry. “Their hate for George Bush is so great they don’t seem to care about the ramifications of reckless statements.”

An early test vote on procedural rules to start the debate passed 211-204, with six Republicans having joined Democrats and one independent in voting “no.”

Democrats were furious about the situation, calling the vote an attack on Mr. Murtha rather than a serious policy debate.

“Whoever thought up this pipe dream should be ashamed of themselves. It brings incredible shame to this House,” said Rep. David R. Obey, Wisconsin Democrat.

For his part, Mr. Murtha, a decorated, retired Marine Corps colonel, said his goal was to let Iraqis know they must step forward and take control.

“All of Iraq must know Iraq is free — free from United States occupation.”

He spoke for about half an hour and read letters of support for him from the wife of an injured soldier and from Gold Star parents who lost a child in the war.

He received three standing ovations from the entire chamber.

But Republicans countered with their own war hero, Rep. Sam Johnson of Texas, who spent years in a prisoner of war camp in Vietnam. He told of how POWs learned about the lack of support back home.

“I know what it does for morale, I know what it does for our mission, and so help me God I will never let our nation make that mistake again.”

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