America speaks with one voice.” This is what President Bush said after Congress passed a resolution to have American troops assist the United Nations’ weapons inspectors in Iraq.

It was disappointing to see Democrat after Democrat fall in line with the resolution. Before the vote, Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., gave his thumbs-up to the White House. He said the threat of Iraq’s weapons programs “may not be imminent. But it is real. It is growing. And it cannot be ignored.” Daschle also said that he urges Bush to move “in a way that avoids making a dangerous situation even worse.”

Twenty-eight other Democrats fell in line with the approval of the resolution, and 21 were against. Only one Republican, Sen. Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island, voted against it.

Rep. Jim Leach, an Iowa Republican, was one of six Republicans in the House to vote against the measure.

The resolution allows the president to use the military at his discretion to protect the United States and enforce U.N. resolutions in Iraq.

It also states that Bush must report to Congress 48 hours before or after beginning military action in Iraq if diplomatic efforts to enforce the U.N. resolutions have failed, and then he must come back every 60 days on the progress of any war with Iraq.

Although Congress spoke in “one voice” for U.S. military action, the United States is almost alone in its opinion among other powerful leaders, with the exception of British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

The U.N. Security Council’s permanent voting members — the United States, England, Russia, China and France — are not all in favor of this action, and the council can do nothing about it.

The U.N. weapons inspectors will be aided by U.S. troops whether they like it or not.

The course of action Congress voted upon last week was the wrong road to take.

Not only will the United States be agitating other countries that we have been trying to garner support from, but we are also giving the White House a “blank check,” according to congressional parliamentarian and senator, Robert Byrd, D-W.Va.

“Let us stop, look and listen. Let us not give this president or any other president unchecked power. Remember the Constitution,” he said during a filibuster before the Senate vote.

Congress has spoken, loud and clear, in “one voice.”

It’s a voice that other countries are not willing to stand behind.

Editorial Board:Cavan Reagan, Amber Billings, Rachel Faber Machacha, Charlie Weaver, Zach Calef, Ayrel Clark.