Protesters against the war in Iraq
participate in the "March on the Pentagon" in Washington, March 17, 2007.
Thousands of anti-war protestors, some carrying yellow and black signs
reading "U.S. out of Iraq now!" marched toward the Pentagon on Saturday,
one of a number of protests held or planned around the country and the
world.(Xinhua/Reuters photo) Gallery>>>
WASHINGTON,
March 28 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President George W. Bush vowed Wednesday not to
negotiate with Congress on setting a timetable to withdraw troops from Iraq.
In a speech delivered to the National Cattlemen's
Beef Association, Bush said the American people would blame lawmakers if there
is any delay in approving money for the war effort due tolegislative battle over
such a timetable.
"Now, some of them believe that by delaying funding
for our troops, they can force me to accept restrictions on our commandersthat I
believe would make withdrawal and defeat more likely," Bushsaid.
"That's not going to happen. If Congress fails to
pass a bill to fund our troops on the front lines, the American people will know
who to hold responsible," he said.
Shortly after the speech, Nancy Pelosi, the
Democratic House speaker, said Bush should "calm down with the threats."
Democrats will hold Bush accountable for any delay in
providingmoney for the troops, she said, arguing that he is the one who is
holding it up by vetoing the two spending bills which also sets timetable to
withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq.
The House bill, passed a week ago, would require the
president to bring most combat troops home by September 2008.
The bill being considered by the Senate, on the other
hand, would set a non-binding goal of March 31, 2008 for withdrawal.
However, it is highly unlikely that the Democrats
could get the two-thirds majority votes necessary in both houses of Congress to
override his veto to these bills, which will be a certainty.
WASHINGTON, March 27 (Xinhua) -- U.S.
Senate Democrats won a key vote on Tuesday that clears the way for setting a
date by which most U.S. troops would be required to leave Iraq, CBS News
reported.
Democrats defeated by a vote of 50-48 the
Republican effort to strip language from the 122 billion-U.S. dollar Iraq
supplemental spending bill that will require most combat soldiers to leave Iraq
within a year, according to the report. Full story
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