US Senate seeks Iraq troops vote
The first of the 21,500 extra troops are already in Baghdad
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The US Senate is holding a rare Saturday session on whether to vote on a resolution criticising President George W Bush's troop surge in Iraq.
The session follows a non-binding vote in the House of Representatives, in which 17 Republicans joined the majority Democrats to oppose the rise.
Correspondents say Republicans could block a Senate vote, but Democrats will be able to claim moral victory.
Mr Bush now faces battles with Congress over funding for US troops in Iraq.
Although both the Congressional resolutions are non-binding, the president needs the legislators to support his $93bn (£48bn) emergency troop-funding measure.
Saturday's vote follows days of fierce debate, during which the Democrats have made it clear that more decisive steps to limit Mr Bush's war policy could follow.
The White House has dismissed the vote, and warned Congress against trying to cut off funding.
Under Mr Bush's new Iraq strategy, 21,500 extra troops are being sent, mostly to the capital Baghdad, to help enforce new security measures.
The Senate session is due to start at 0800 local time (1300 GMT).
Written by the Democrats, the resolution - identical to that in the House - states that the Senate "will continue to support and protect" US soldiers in Iraq but that it "disapproves" of the 21,500-strong troop increase.
But Democrats hold only a wafer-thin 51-49 majority in the chamber, and last week failed to gain the 60 votes needed to override Republican delaying tactics.
The BBC's Justin Webb in Washington says that if the Democrats manage to win a vote they will probably come out on top and further embarrass the White House.
If they lose, he says, they will still win a moral victory by trying to get the subject aired.
"Let us be clear: Anyone voting 'no' [on Saturday] is voting to give the president a green light to escalate the war."
clipped from: news.bbc.co.uk