No more blank checks for President Bush on Iraq

February 16th, 2007

Washington, D.C. - President Bush is about to get a stinging rebuke from the U.S. House of Representatives today over his Iraq war policy and his decision to send more troops to that nation's civil war.

President Bush is about to get a stinging rebuke from the U.S. House of Representatives today over his Iraq war policy and his decision to send more troops to that nation's civil war.

Several members of his Republican Party are expected to join the Democrats in voting for the non-binding resolution.

The vote follows days of fierce debate, during which the Democrats have made it clear that more decisive steps to limit Bush's war policy could follow.

The Senate is due to vote on the troop plan in an unusual Saturday session.

Previous Senate attempts to debate the anti-troop surge resolution have been met with delaying tactics from Republican members.

If Saturday's Senate vote goes ahead, Bush faces the possibility that both chambers of Congress will repudiate his Iraq policy within two days.

Although both the Congressional resolutions are non-binding, the president needs the legislators to support his $93 billion emergency troop funding measure.

Responsibility

The House vote, expected late on Friday, will bring to a close the first full debate there since the Democrats took control of Congress in November.

Written by the Democrats, the resolution states that the House "will continue to support and protect" US soldiers in Iraq but that it "disapproves" of the 21,500-strong troop increase.

Bush, who hopes the "surge" will restore stability in Iraq, said on Thursday that he expected Congress to live up to its promise to support the nation's troops.

"Our men and women in uniform are counting on their elected leaders to provide them with the support they need to accomplish their mission," he said.

"Republicans and Democrats have a responsibility to give our troops the resources they need."

Rhetoric warning

Speaking during the debate, House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said there should be "No more blank checks for President Bush on Iraq".

She also warned Bush that he did not have the authority to go to war with Iran without the backing of Congress.

There has been concern recently over the president's rhetoric on Iranian activity in Iraq.

Her message was echoed by fellow Democrat John Murtha, who told the House: "This country needs a dramatic change of course in Iraq and it is the responsibility of this Congress to consummate that change."

Murtha, who heads a House panel that oversees military spending, is drawing up legislation that would set strict conditions on training and rest periods for troops, making it almost impossible for Bush to deploy the number of troops he wants to.

Republican House Minority Leader John Boehner criticised the Democrats' attempts to derail Bush's plans for Iraq.

"While American troops are fighting radical Islamic terrorists thousands of miles away, it is unthinkable that the United States Congress would move to discredit their mission, cut off their reinforcements and deny them the resources they need to succeed and return home safely," he said.