Topeka ? Legislators expressed support Thursday for the war in Iraq, although less than unanimously.

On an unrecorded voice vote, the House approved a resolution declaring “absolute” support of the war, President Bush and the nation’s armed forces. Some members voted “no,” concerned by what the resolution did and did not say.

Rep. Lee Tafanelli, R-Ozawkie, was the chief author of the resolution. He is a colonel in the Kansas Army National Guard and about 150 of his troops, from southeast Kansas, have been deployed in the war.

House Minority Leader Dennis McKinney, D-Greensburg, was among the co-sponsors of the resolution.

McKinney said those who voted against the resolution were mainly concerned that it did not mention soldiers’ health and welfare or express hope that the nation would support them if they developed illnesses similar to Gulf War Syndrome.

“I think once hostilities start, we can come together,” McKinney said.

Tafanelli said he does not criticize Democrats for their views.

“Everyone is entitled to their opinions,” said Tafanelli, who chairs the House Security Committee. “It was intended as something that I believed in and the other members who signed on.”

Some Democrats were also concerned about declaring “absolute” support of Bush, believing that diplomacy had not been given enough time.

McKinney said his hope was that the directives given to soldiers would be clear and that the conflict could be resolved with little loss of life.

Rep. Paul Davis, D-Lawrence, was among those who did not support the resolution.

“I don’t think this is something the state Legislature ought to be dealing with,” Davis said. “Congress has taken up this issue. We have problems at the state level we have to deal with.”

In the Senate, Minority Leader Anthony Hensley said he supported the troops and prayed the fighting would be brief.

“We must all come together to support the families who have been left behind,” said Hensley, D-Topeka. “I trust the president based his decision to invade Iraq on conclusive information and the loss of life will be minimal.”

Senate President Dave Kerr, R-Hutchinson, said Americans should line up behind the military and Bush in the effort to rid the region of the threat in Baghdad with minimal loss of American lives.

“They are a doing challenging job, and they must be supported,” Kerr said.