President Bush continues to bleed support over the Iraq war - and now another Republican senate loyalist opens up fresh wounds, calling for a new strategy in Iraq designed to bring US soldiers home.
Senator Pete Domenici of New Mexico had been a staunch supporter of the White House's Iraq policy - until Thursday, when he announced he was co-sponsoring legislation to make the recommendations of the Iraq Study Group into US policy.
"I have carefully studied the Iraq situation and believe we cannot continue asking our troops to sacrifice indefinitely while the Iraqi government is not making measurable progress to move its country forward," Domenici said yesterday.
"I do not support an immediate withdrawal from Iraq or a reduction in funding for our troops. But I do support a new strategy that will move our troops out of combat operations and on the path to coming home."
Domenici, who has served in the senate for 36 years, joins a group of Republican senators who have recently started to question the White House's strategy. Last week veteran Republican senators Richard Lugar of Indiana and George Voinovich of Ohio called for the redeployment of US troops in Iraq, supported by John Warner of Virginia.
The Republican dissent set the scene for the senate next debate on July 9.
