Republicans want up/down vote on Murtha

Republicans seek vote on Iraq withdrawal proposal

WASHINGTON (AP) -- House Republicans sought a showdown Friday with Democrats on a proposal by one of their most senior members to force an end to the U.S. deployment of troops in Iraq.

I'll have to think about this for awhile but initially I can't see why they would want to force a vote that is contrary to what a majority of Americans now think.

Update
Apparently the Republicans have re-written the bill and are still calling it a Democratic Bill.

Update II
Joe Gandelman has some details and reactions. According to Joe it's just another example of the Republicans politics of division. Will it work?

Will this define the Democrats or backfire? Our bet? It may have unintended consequences for the GOP, will spark a ton of press stories noting high up in the stories about what the real intent of this vote was, will get the Democrats a large chunk of TV time...and probably won't make those Americans who polls say don't support the war support it. And, in the end, it'll only spur the Democrats on to even more spirited opposition....as independents continue their exodus from the GOP fold.

The administration and the Republicans are looking more like cornered rats everyday.