IMPEACH BUSH

Canadian Press: WASHINGTON — U.S. Democrats forced a dramatic clash with President George W. Bush over his war policy today by passing a bill requiring American combat troops to come home next year.

The House of Representatives, in a close vote of 218-212, passed an emergency spending bill that funds the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan but demands most U.S. soldiers leave Iraq by Sept. 1, 2008, at the latest.

The bold move earned a swift and blunt response from Bush, who said the House "abdicated its responsibility."

The president said he'll veto any bill with a deadline that reaches his desk. "Democrats in the House, in an act of political theatre, voted to substitute their judgment for that of our military commanders on the ground in Iraq," Bush said.

"Today's action in the House does only one thing: it delays the delivery of vital resources for our troops," said Bush, surrounded by veterans and military families at the White House.

Democratic party leaders maintained they're simply following the wishes of Americans who want the war to end and elected Democrats to a majority on Capitol Hill in last fall's midterm elections.

The legislation is a "giant step" toward ending the Iraq war and concentrating on Afghanistan "where the war on terrorism is," said House Leader Nancy Pelosi.

"The American people, their voices, have been heard," she said. "We know that they have lost confidence and faith in the president's conduct of this war."

"The American people do not support a war without end and neither should this Congress."

The Senate could vote as early as next week on its version of the spending bill with the goal of withdrawing combat troops by March 31, 2008.

But the efforts of both houses of Congress constitute a considerable longshot. A two-thirds vote in each is required to override a presidential veto.

As the war enters its fifth year, Bush wants more time for his plan to quell violence in Baghdad by sending 21,500 more U.S. combat troops and thousands more support soldiers.

"We're beginning to see some signs of progress," he said. "Yet to score political points, the Democratic majority in the House has shown it is willing to undermine the gains our troops are making on the ground."

White House spokesman Tony Snow told reporters Democrats are conducting an irresponsible "charade."

"Right now what Democrats are doing is they're wasting time at a time when the clock is ticking," he said.

Although the bill passed, Democrats have been deeply divided over what to do about the war. Some want to cut off funding and get the soldiers out now, while more conservative members don't want to interfere with military commanders.

Fourteen Democrats voted against it.

Republicans were nearly unified in their fight against the bill, which they said amounted to admitting failure in Iraq.

"Its prevailing tone is one of defeat and its abiding premise is American's mission in Iraq is over," said Republican Whip Roy Blunt of Missouri.

"We have no choice but to win," said House Republican Leader John Boehner of Ohio. "If we fail in Iraq, you'll see the rise, even further and faster, of racial terrorism all around the world."

The House bill provides US$124 billion, mostly to finance military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan for the rest of this year.

It would impose a series of performance benchmarks for progress in Iraq. Withdrawal would be required sooner than the end of next summer if the goals aren't met by the Iraqi government.

The legislation also requires better training for American troops and longer periods between deployments.

Defence Secretary Robert Gates warned this week that failing to get funding quickly would force the U.S. army to consider slowing the deployment of replacement troops and extending the tours of forces already there.

The two wars have cost more that US$500 billion so far and more than 3,200 U.S. troops have died in Iraq since the March 2003 invasion.