The US Senate has voted to consider a plan for the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, marking the Senate's first formal debate on the war since Democrats took control of the US Congress in January.
Republican senators had blocked two previous proposals by Democrats to debate the war, but senators voted 89-9 to discuss the proposal.
Despite the vote, most Republicans opposed the Democratic bill and said they would still try to prevent its passage.
John McCain, an Republican senator from Arizona and a 2008 presidential contender, called the Democrats' plan "a retreat, not a strategy".
Courage to stand up
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"Peace in Iraq will happen when citizens realise that they can express their ideas and views more effectively... than with violence"
JBernar5, Toledo, USA
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Joseph Biden, a Democratic senator, said Republicans were trying to protect George Bush, the US president, and his "god-awful policy".
"It's about time we had courage to stand up and say to the president, mister president, you have not only put us in harm's way, you have harmed us," Biden said.
The Democrats' proposal sets a goal of pulling out all combat troops by March, 2008, with the US beginning to withdraw its troops from Iraq within four months of the proposal's passage.
But the bill is expected to ultimately fall short of the 60 votes it will need to pass.
A similar plan has also been proposed by Democrats in the House of Representatives who want to attach it to a spending bill.
Regardless of the result, the debate over the bill would give Democrats a chance to paint the Republicans as opposing a timetable on withdrawal at a time when most American voters oppose the war.
"This is the message the American people delivered to Congress on November 7, 2006, and this is the message we must send to President Bush," said Harry Reid, the senate majority leader, referring to the election day when Democrats won majorities in both chambers.