February 02, 2007	Friday	Muharram 13, 1428

WASHINGTON, Feb 1: Democratic and Republican senators have agreed on compromise wording to a resolution opposing President George W. Bush's plan to increase US forces in Iraq, as the US war of words with Iran simmers.

The breakthrough measure, reached late on Wednesday and likely to gather wide legislative support, means that the White House could face an embarrassing -- but ultimately symbolic -- vote of no confidence in its latest military plan.

The agreement was announced just hours after Democrat Nancy Pelosi, the speaker of the House of Representatives, met Bush at the White House and found “areas of agreement” on Afghanistan and Iraq.

And it follows days of increased rhetoric against Iran for its alleged involvement in supporting attacks on US troops in Iraq.

Some legislators fear the president is setting the groundwork for US military action against Iran, as the US aircraft carrier John Stennis heads to the Gulf to join the aircraft carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower, already in the region.

In the meantime, the unpopular war in Iraq “is perhaps the most vital issue facing our country,” said Senator Susan Collins and one of the members of Bush's Republican Party, as she announced that a compromise resolution opposing the troop surge was reached.

“It is crucial that the Senate go on record expressing its opposition to the president's plan to send 21,500 troops to Iraq,” she said.

The announcement was at odds with the warm feelings expressed after Pelosi met with Bush.

“It was a very constructive meeting,” said Pelosi, a tough Bush critic. “It was respectful and we found some areas of agreement in terms of our sizing up what the challenges are there.” Pelosi, who led a bipartisan delegation of lawmakers just back from Afghanistan and Iraq, said they had briefed the president on their findings.

“We found a number of areas where we agree, there are some areas of discussion,” said Republican Representative David Hobson, also at the meeting.

In Baghdad, Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, in an interview with CNN, warned the United States and Iran to take their quarrel elsewhere, saying he would not permit his battered country to be caught in the crossfire.

“There is a struggle between Iran and America, and we have told the Iranians and Americans, we know that you have a problem with each other,” Maliki said, speaking through a translator.—AFP