BUSH VETOES BILL ON WITHDRAWAL OF U.S. TROOPS FROM IRAQ

PanARMENIAN.Net
02.05.2007 14:48 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ U.S. President George W Bush has vetoed a
Congressional bill that would have linked war funding to a timetable
for withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. Speaking in Washington after
signing the veto, Mr Bush said setting a deadline for withdrawal
would be "setting a date for failure" in Iraq.

He said the funding was needed to give time for the new strategy of
a surge of reinforcements in Baghdad to succeed.

Mr Bush said he would seek a compromise with Congressional leaders.

It is only the second time since taking office that Mr Bush has used
the presidential veto.

Earlier on Tuesday, leaders of the Democrat-controlled U.S. Congress
signed the controversial bill agreeing to $100bn (£50bn) in further
funding on condition US combat troops begin to withdraw this year.

The president wants a blank cheque; the Congress is not going to give
it to him

The Senate last week voted 51 to 46 in favor of the legislation,
which said the pull-out must start by 1 October and sets a target of
completion by 31 March 2008.

Mr Bush will now meet congressional leaders on Wednesday to try to
reach a compromise on a revised funding bill for U.S. troops in Iraq
and Afghanistan, BBC reports.

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