Iraq:The White House has appealed to Republicans for patience with President Bush's strategy in Iraq after another of the party's senior figures called for a change of course.
New Mexico's Pete Domenici, a long-time Bush loyalist, this week became the third Republican senator within a fortnight to break ranks with the president, backing a strategy that would bring most US troops home by next March.
"We cannot continue asking our troops to sacrifice indefinitely while the Iraqi government is not making measurable progress. 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."
Mr Domenici, who faces an election next year, said he started questioning his support for the administration on Iraq after he met the families of dead soldiers in his state last month. He is now backing a bipartisan Bill that would put into law the recommendations of the Iraq Study Group, which called for the withdrawal of most US combat troops and the start of talks with Iraq's neighbours, including Iran and Syria.
White House spokesman Tony Fratto said legislators should wait until next September's report from military commanders and the US ambassador to Iraq before passing judgment on how the current surge in US forces is succeeding.
"It is certainly way too early to give any kind of definitive grade on how the surge is doing. We see hopeful signs of progress. We see hopeful signs of success. We're certainly not in a place to say that the surge has been a success. And we think no one is in a place to say that the surge is not a success either," he said.
Mr Fratto added, however, that September's report would not offer a definitive assessment of whether the surge had succeeded but would measure progress three months after all the extra US forces had arrived in Iraq.
"The definition of success of the surge is that there is a sufficient amount of breathing space. And by that, we mean basic security and basic delivery of services in Iraq; that the political leadership can make the reforms that they need to make in order to move Iraq to a more functioning society. So there won't be one crowning event that says, okay, now we are finally successful in Iraq. I think it's going to be a little bit more of an evolutionary process. But you know, you'll know it when you see it," he said.
Next week, senators face a number of votes on Iraq as they debate the annual defence policy Bill, including proposals to cut off funds for the war and to set a timetable for withdrawal. Senate majority leader Harry Reid said that it would become clear next week if Republicans like Mr Domenici were serious about pressing for a change of policy.
"Republicans will have the opportunity to not just say the right things on Iraq, but vote the right way, too, so that we can bring the responsible end to this war that the American people demand and deserve," Mr Reid said. The bipartisan proposal to give legislative force to the Iraq Study Group recommendations is the work of Colorado Democrat Ken Salazar but its 10 co-sponsors include six Republicans. Mr Bush praised the Iraq Study Group's report when it was published, but has ignored its key recommendations and, instead of withdrawing troops, sent more than 20,000 extra troops to Iraq.