While lawmakers rally around varying nonbinding resolutions expressing displeasure with President Bush over the Iraq war, Sen. John McCain announced Thursday he will try to set benchmarks for ending the violence. "I'm trying to put something together that exercises congressional oversight that would provide some comfort to the American people and that certain benchmarks are being met as far as measuring progress or lack of progress is concerned," McCain, R-Ariz., a potential 2008 presidential competitor, said of the resolution he is crafting.Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich, who appeared with McCain before reporters, said he is willing to work with McCain but "there have to be conditions" included in the resolution to establish consequences if the benchmarks are not achieved. "We are in flux. We are still discussing what we should do," Levin said.
Levin is a co-sponsor, with Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., and Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., of a resolution that passed the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Wednesday saying President Bush's war plan is "not in the national interest" and U.S. military presence should not be increased.