GOP U.S. Senate Candidate Mike McGavick doesn’t support an amendment (passed unanimously by the Senate earlier this month) that bans establishing permanent U.S. military bases in Iraq.

Sen. Cantwell was the cosponsor of the amendment along with Sen. Joseph Biden of Deleware.

Here’s the August 3, 2006 amendment.

AMENDMENT NO. 4851 (Purpose: To prohibit the use of funds for establishing United States military installations in Iraq or exercising United States control over the oil resources of Iraq) At the end of title VIII, add the following: SEC. 8109. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be obligated or expended by the United States government for a purpose as follows: (1) To establish any military installation or base for the purpose of providing for the permanent stationing of United States Armed Forces in Iraq. (2) To exercise United States control over any oil resource of Iraq.

A brief one-liner in last Thursday’s Seattle Times noted: “Cantwell recently voted for a measure to ban permanent military bases in Iraq. McGavick disagreed, saying it was premature to decide.”