Senate Democrats, with the help of Republicans Chuck Hagel of Nebraska and Oregon’s Gordon Smith, have passed their version of the Pelosi-Murtha QUAGMIRE, QUAGMIRE, VIETNAM bill:

The Senate narrowly approved a war-spending bill today that calls for most American combat troops to be out of Iraq by March 31, 2008, and in so doing defied a veto threat by President Bush.

The 51-to-47 vote endorsed a $122 billion spending package, most of which would go to the Iraq and Afghanistan campaigns, although some domestic spending is included.

It’s a political pose. The President has promised a veto.