Senate agrees to begin debate on troop withdrawal

Breaking a parliamentary roadblock, the US Senate today voted to begin its first formal debate on the Iraq war since Democrats took control of US Congress in January. The White House swiftly issued a veto threat.

The 89-9 vote paved the way for consideration of a Democratic measure that calls for, but does not require, President George Bush to pull US combat troops out of Iraq by the end of March 2008.