Dems Ditch Iraq Timeline Demand

Sans timetable, Bush expected to sign; Clinton and Obama say nay

(NEWSER) - Congress approved $95 billion to pay for the war in Iraq—without a timetable for troop withdrawal. The bill, which Bush says he'll sign, passed both houses last night, ending a long and bitter struggle between Democrats and a veto-ready White House over bringing the troops home. Aspiring presidents Clinton and Obama voted against the bill. More»

Unusual move allows vote against war, for domestic spending

(NEWSER) - House Democratic leaders are splitting the new Iraq funding bill into two distinct amendments, the Politco reports. One will be the $103 billion Bush requested for the war in Iraq, which will speak of benchmarks but won't demand a withdrawal date, the other a $17 billion domestic spending package. More»

Proposal would have ended funding by March

(NEWSER) - The Senate yesterday shot down a plan to cut all funding for the war in Iraq by next March. Russ Feingold's proposal, largely a test of anti-war support, was defeated in a 67-29 procedural vote, as Congress moves towards compromise with the White House on a spending measure. More»

(NEWSER) - President Bush will veto a second proposed Iraq appropriations blll, the White House said today, dashing hopes for an agreement on the controversial measure. The new bill, which House Dems unveiled yesterday, requires the President to report to Congress on Iraq's progress in order to receive full funding for the war. More»

(NEWSER) - With Congress and the president now officially at war over Iraq, all parties scrambled yesterday to gear up for the coming firefight. The President promised to veto the spending bill with troop withdrawal deadlines attached, seeming to relish the fight ahead. Tthe newly aggressive and unified Democrats, notes the New York Times, seemed surprised at their own success at pushing for an exit strategy after years of wishy-washiness. More»