Bush renews vow to veto Iraq troop withdrawal

updated 10:39 p.m. ET March 28, 2007

WASHINGTON - President Bush said Wednesday that efforts by congressional Democrats to issue a rebuke of his Iraq policies are nothing more than meddling in military strategy that would have disastrous consequences for Iraq's democracy and America's security.

The Senate resumes debate Wednesday on a bill containing a timetable for bringing American troops home from Iraq. Democrats insist Bush will have to accept some sort of withdrawal deadline in exchange for the billions of dollars needed to fund the war.

"We would hope that the president understands how serious we are," said Majority Leader Harry Reid after the Senate voted to uphold a timeline proposal in a war spending bill.

But Bush said their move will not prompt him to negotiate, but to veto any funding legislation that includes a withdrawal timeline.

"The consequences of imposing such a specific and random date of withdrawal would be disastrous," Bush said in a speech at the National Cattlemen's Beef Association meeting in Washington.

"Our enemies in Iraq would simply have to mark their calendars. They'd spend the months ahead plotting how to use their new safe haven once we were to leave," he said. "It makes no sense for politicians in Washington, D.C., to be dictating arbitary timelines for our military commanders in a war zone 6,000 miles away."

Working with the president
"Members of Congress need to stop making political statements, start providing vital funds for our troops and get a bill to my desk that I can sign into law," Bush said. "If Congress fails to pass a bill to fund our troops on the front lines, the American people will know who to hold responsible."

But Reid and other Democrats say they won't back down.

"Rather than making all the threats that he has, let's work with him and see if he can give us some ideas how we can satisfy the wishes of a majority of the Senate, the majority of the House and move forward," Reid said.

The bill finances operations in Iraq and Afghanistan but requires Bush begin bringing home some combat troops right away with a nonbinding goal of ending combat missions as of March 31, 2008.

The House last week passed a similar bill by a 218-212 vote. That bill orders combat troops out by Aug. 31, 2008 — guaranteeing the final spending measure negotiated with the Senate will include some sort of timetable on the war.

MORE FROM POLITICS

Politics Section Front

Afghan plan to test limits of nation-building Obama, Karzai hold hour-long call   Salahis: ‘We were invited, not crashers’ Divided Senate opens health care debate Party crashers e-mailed Pentagon official Reid: Senate to work weekends on health care Is Obama too much like Mr. Spock? Obama to reveal Afghanistan war plan Senate set for health care debate The Grio: Rep. Rangel faces challenge from former staffer   Politics Section Front   Add Politics headlines to your news reader: