The day after Republicans blocked Democratic efforts to set a timetable for our troops withdrawal from Iraq, refusing to hold an up-or-down vote on something 70% of the American people favor, the White House began a PR push to keep their lapdogs in line.

About 200 lawmakers were invited to the Pentagon for a classified question-and-answer session on Thursday with Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, and Ryan Crocker, the U.S. ambassador there. The two men were expected to brief lawmakers via satellite from Baghdad. The officials were expected to make the case that some progress has been made in Iraq since Bush ordered the deployment of some 30,000 extra troops earlier this year. The officials also were expected to argue it is too early to tell whether the strategy is working, and that members of Congress should hold off on demanding change until at least September. The briefings cap off a week of contentious Senate debate on the war and a public relations blitz by the administration to shore up GOP support.

And in other news:

A Task Force Marne Soldier was killed by small arms fire July 19 near Rushdi Mullah. The Soldier’s name is being withheld pending notification of the next of kin. Four Multi-National Division - Baghdad Soldiers and an Iraqi interpreter were killed when an improvised explosive device detonated near their patrol during combat operations in an eastern section of the Iraqi capital July 18. The deceased Soldiers’ names are being withheld pending notification of next of kin and release by the Department of Defense.

...bringing the total of U.S. troops killed this month to 49, along with the 1130 reported Iraqi civilian deaths. But there's progress, really, just give the administration a couple of more months to prove it.