WASHINGTON, Feb 6: Republicans blocked debate in the US Senate on Monday over a resolution criticising President George W. Bush's plan to send more troops to Iraq, but a new showdown looms.

The procedural move thwarting debate on Monday was the first setback for the Democrats, who took control of both chambers of the Congress from Bush's Republicans in November, fuelled by voter anger over Iraq.

The rancorous Senate session came as Bush presented Congress with his budget for the coming fiscal year, including a request for $235 billion largely to fund military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan through 2008.

The Democrats, who have a narrow majority in the Senate, fell 11 votes short of the 60 needed to proceed with the debate. Only two Republicans voted in favour.

The vote was on a non-binding resolution hammered out by Republican Senator John Warner and Democrat Carl Levin that expressed disagreement with Bush's plan to send 21,500 more troops to Iraq.

Democratic leader Senator Harry Reid lashed out at Republicans for not letting the debate proceed, calling it a vote to support “this president continuing the same policy of failure in Iraq.” “If they stop us from going forward on this debate, this does not end the debate on Iraq..... You can run but you can't hide. We are going to debate Iraq,” Reid said.

The fate of the Warner resolution remains unclear as Senate leaders from both parties were to resume bargaining.

Mitch McConnell, the Republican senate minority leader, rallied party senators. He outmaneuvered the Democrats by insisting the Warner resolution could be debated only if two Republican measures were also considered.

“We're ready to debate, but not on terms that are dictated to us,” McConnell said. “I just think this is a bump in the road and hopefully soon we'll have an agreement that is fair to both sides.” One of the Republican measures, supported by Senators John McCain and pro-Democrat independent Joe Lieberman, sets tough benchmarks for the Iraqi government to meet but does not threaten to cut funds.

The other Republican resolution strongly supports the president's authority to deploy troops, and states that Congress should not eliminate or reduce funds for soldiers.

The latter resolution, also symbolic, would have put many Bush critics in a politically impossible position: vote to cut funds from soldiers on the battle front and undercut the president's wartime authority -- at a time when a Democrat could be in the White House in less than two years -- or show support for the unpopular president and his policy.

Republican Trent Lott said the Democrats were unfairly refusing to consider the Republican resolutions. “This is certainly not a stalling tactic,” he said.

The Republicans “may succeed today, they may succeed this week,” said Democrat Dick Durbin, “but there will be a debate on this war.” Bush supporters say that passing a resolution condemning a troop increase would undermine the military mission.—AFP