Republicans block vote on troop pullout

Wed Jul 18, 2007 7:20PM EDT

By Richard Cowan and Thomas Ferraro

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President George W. Bush's fellow Republicans in the Senate on Wednesday blocked a Democratic proposal to force him to withdraw American combat troops from Iraq after a rare round-the-clock debate.

The action prompted weary and frustrated Senate Democrats to postpone consideration of other measures to bring the war to an end. But they voiced confidence more Republicans would soon join their efforts.