Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin calls for new diplomatic efforts in the Middle East. The U.S. House of Representatives is debating a resolution on the Iraq war . Each member has been allotted five minutes to speak prior to Friday's vote, and the Wisconsin Democrat took to the floor Tuesday night. "I voted against authorizing the use of force in Iraq," Baldwin said in her prepared statement. "As an early and consistent critic of the war, I understand the importance of offering a new course in Iraq." Baldwin said the U.S. "must participate in a robust regional diplomatic effort, including direct discussions with Syria and Iran," in order to promote stability in Iraq.
And Baldwin said the U.S. must acknowledge that other conflicts in the region need to be addressed. She called for "a new push" for Arab-Israeli peace. The House is debating a resolution which opposes President Bush's decision to deploy more than 20-thousand additional U.S. combat troops to Iraq. Other members of the Wisconsin delegation are expected to make statements during the debate. President Bush, in a press conference today, criticized the resolution.