Democrats to tie Iraq Funds to Withdrawalimages.huffington...
Democrats to tie Iraq Funds to Withdrawal
Added 2049 days ago in Politics
huffingtonpost.com — Under pressure to support the troops but end the war, House Democrats said Thursday they would send President Bush $50 billion for combat operations on the condition that he begin withdrawing troops from Iraq.

The proposal, similar to one Bush vetoed earlier this year, would identify a goal of ending combat entirely by December 2008. It would require that troops spend as much time at home as they do in combat, as well as effectively ban harsh interrogation techniques like waterboarding.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had hoped the House would vote as early as Friday on the bill. But late on Thursday, after meeting with liberal Democrats who were concerned the bill was too soft, she decided to put off debate until next week.

In a private caucus meeting earlier in the day, Pelosi told rank-and-file Democrats that the bill was their best shot at challenging Bush on the war. And if Bush rejected it, she said, she did not intend on sending him another war spending bill for the rest of the year.

"This is not a blank check for the president," she said at a Capitol Hill news conference following the caucus meeting. "This is providing funding for the troops limited to a particular purpose, for a short time frame."

White House spokesman Tony Fratto said Bush would veto any bill that sets an "artificial timeline" for troop withdrawals.

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Should war spending be attached to withdrawal of troops?
Yes, As long as funds are available the war will continue
75%
No, Handcuffing the generals could put the troops in danger
25%
This is not a scientific survey, click here to learn more. Results may not total 100% due to rounding and voting descrepencies.
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