BAGHDAD, Oct. 18-Ten U.S. soldiers were killed in Iraq on Tuesday, one of the bloodiest days of the war for American forces outside of major combat operations.

October is on track to become one of the deadliest of the conflict for U.S. soldiers, with at least 60 soldiers killed so far this month. More than 2,700 American troops and Defense Department employees have died since the war began 3 1/2 years ago.

Then in early January 2005, Lieberman wanted to convene his bipartisan centrist Senate group, which usually met once a week, to talk about all Social Security options, and said that he was taking no position on any of them.

"This is an ongoing problem and we'd be wise to deal with it," Lieberman said. "I hope we can get something done."

He would not rule out personal accounts, although he said "it's important Social Security remain what it is," a social insurance program that "provides a floor of income." And, Lieberman said, "if we can figure out a way to help people through private accounts or something else, great."

On Tuesday, Gerstein acknowledged that Lieberman's comment at the time "was not clear."

But Lieberman, who is trying to keep his Republican support intact, said a vote for Schlesinger would be wasted.

"In the end, the race is going to come down to Ned Lamont or Joe Lieberman for the U.S. Senate, and I think the voters in the state know that," Lieberman said.

Schlesinger called Lieberman's remarks insulting.

"It is another example of Joe Lieberman's patronizing attitude, that he owns the Senate seat, that it personally belongs to him," Schlesinger said.

With the President’s signing of the Military Commissions Act of 2006, America took a step backward in our fight for democratic values and freedoms in the war on terror. The bill is wrong for America, and does not make us safer. I believe it violates the constitution, is at odds with our values, puts our troops in jeopardy, and will lead to further delays in bringing terrorists to justice. This Administration and those that support it have made grave mistakes in protecting this country. As a result, we are less safe and, as Colin Powell stated last week, we are losing our ‘moral authority’ to fight the war on terror. It’s time for a change in Washington. It’s time for us to get this right. Our security depends on it.