“‘We stand together to tell this administration that we are against the escalation, and to say with one voice that Congress will no longer be a blank check to the president’s failed policies,’ said freshman Rep. Patrick J. Murphy (D-Pa.), who was a captain with the 82nd Airborne Division in Baghdad. ‘The president’s plan to send more of our best and bravest to die refereeing a civil war in Iraq is wrong.‘” The House begins three days of debate on a resolution opposing Dubya’s proposed “surge.” “The Democratic resolution is not binding on the administration, and both sides of the debate agreed that the real fight will come next month, when Democrats are to move to attach to a $100 billion war spending bill binding language that would limit future deployments to Iraq and begin to bring troops home.”