Bush Staying the Course on Veto

Acknowledging 'war fatigue,' president warns against hasty withdrawal

(NEWSER) - President Bush used today's interim report on the Iraq war to renew his call for Congress to withhold judgment on the troop surge until a September update, saying the military will "be in a better position to adjust" in 2 months. The report notes positive movement in eight out of 18 areas but gives unsatisfactory marks on eight other benchmarks. More»

Votes for another showdown with President Bush

(NEWSER) - Congress voted 221-205 last night to pump $40 billion into the war in Iraq—only enough to fund combat operations until July. An additional $56 billion would be released contingent on the Iraqi government's progress. The bill omits any timetable for withdrawal, but sets the scene for another showdown with President Bush, who's promised to veto it. More»

Bill ties troop funding to March 2008 withdrawal deadline

(NEWSER) - Democrats in the Senate pulled off a surprise victory yesterday in their bid to force President Bush to bring troops home from Iraq—deflecting a GOP effort to kill the troop withdrawal plan. The Democrats’ proposal sets a March 2008 deadline for ending the conflict and is folded into a must-pass $122 billion package to fund the war. More»

(NEWSER) - The FT catalogs a litany of the obstacles for President Bush achieving anything meaningful in his last 22 months in office. At the core of it all is the Iraq war, which has reduced Bush’s popularity to the point where he has no more political capital to spend. More»

Congress may unite to hand him first override of his presidency

(NEWSER) - President Bush is gearing up for another battle with Congress, but his latest fray could result in the first overriding of one of his vetoes, the Washington Post reports. His rejection yesterday of the water resources bill, popular with Democrats and Republicans, is a gamble because it may endear him to fiscal conservatives but erode his authority on Capitol Hill. More»