US:After a rare all-night debate on the Iraq war, Republican senators have blocked a proposal to bring most American troops home by early next year.
A key procedural motion to avoid a filibuster fell eight votes short of the 60 needed, although four Republicans voted with the Democrats.
Although at least 10 Republican senators have expressed misgivings about President George Bush's strategy in Iraq, most stayed loyal and agreed to wait for a military progress report in September.
The Democratic proposal, would have required the president to start withdrawing troops within 120 days and to complete the pull-out by the end of next April. An unspecified number of US forces could remain behind to conduct a narrow set of missions, including counter-terrorism, protecting US assets and training Iraqi security forces.
"The only way to end the violence is for the Iraqis to settle their own differences," said armed services committee chairman Carl Levin, one of the measure's co-sponsors.
Democrats held the all-night session on Iraq to highlight Republican support for Mr Bush's strategy and anti-war groups staged vigils throughout the country to coincide with the debate. Sustained by pizza and sandwiches and taking turns to nap on folding beds outside the chamber, senators spoke through the night to rows of empty desks and an almost deserted public gallery.
Presidential candidates John McCain and Hillary Clinton spoke at about 4am, with Mr McCain offering strong support to the president. "Our defeat there would be catastrophic, not just for Iraq, but for us. As long as we have a chance to succeed we must try to succeed," he said.
Mrs Clinton said that the US military had accomplished its original mission of removing Saddam Hussein and helping Iraqis to start establishing a political framework but it was now time to withdraw from what she described as a sectarian civil war.
"Our message to the president is clear: It's time to start thinking of our troops and our broader position in Iraq and beyond, not next year, not next month, but today," she said.
Yesterday's vote highlights the Democrats' failure to influence the president's war policy and their reluctance to take the most effective step towards ending the war by cutting off funds for the military campaign. There are now more US troops in Iraq than when Democrats won control of Congress in last November's elections and many activists in the party are losing patience with their leaders.
At a rally outside the Capitol during the debate, speeches by Democratic senators and House speaker Nancy Pelosi were interrupted by shouts of "Cut the funding" and "Put impeachment on the table".
Senate majority leader Harry Reid acknowledged at the rally that Democrats had so far failed to win over enough Republicans to vote for a change of course but he promised to keep up the pressure until the troops come home.
"I want everyone here tonight, every American from coast to coast, to know that we won't stop fighting until we end this war.
"We know this debate won't be enough. This debate won't end the debate on the war in Iraq.
"It won't end because, of all the encouraging we've heard from some Republicans these past few weeks, too few of them are willing to vote the right way," he said.
