Senate bill links Iraq funds, withdrawal

WASHINGTON – Senate Democrats unveiled an emergency spending bill that would continue funding the conflict in Iraq while requiring U.S. troop withdrawals to begin this summer, a proposal that tracks closely with one the House will vote on Friday.

The Senate Appropriations Committee is expected to approve $122 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan today, along with language that would set a March 31, 2008, goal for ending most combat operations in Iraq. Despite differences between the House and Senate versions, including over the timetable for withdrawing troops, and despite repeated White House veto threats, both packages represent a significant stiffening of Democratic resolve to stop the war next year.

Democratic leaders reached an important milestone by winning the support of Sen. Ben Nelson, a conservative Democrat from Nebraska and a member of the appropriations panel, who last week had opposed a resolution that set an identical withdrawal schedule.

House Democrats were still trying to round up votes for a $124 billion war-spending bill that would establish strict readiness standards for deploying troops and a deadline of Aug. 31, 2008, for the removal of combat forces. Democrats larded the bill with special projects to build support for it.

With Republicans largely united in opposition, and some conservative and liberal Democrats still balking, senior Democrats conceded they may not know the outcome until the roll is called. The vote had been scheduled for today, but Wednesday night it was moved to Friday, with debate starting today. “We’re struggling,” conceded Rep. Maurice Hinchey, D-N.Y.

The Senate debate over Iraq spending is expected to begin next week, and it promises to be a similar cliffhanger. Under Senate rules, Republicans will need 60 votes to strip the withdrawal language from the bill – and Democrats will need 60 votes to pass the package as is.

House Democrats said that whatever the outcome, they will insist during final negotiations that withdrawal criteria be included.

The White House has already made several harshly worded veto threats over the Democrats’ legislative efforts to withdraw troops. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., called the withdrawal language “a poison pill” and vowed to strip it from the funding package.

Senate Republicans believe they hold the upper hand in the Iraq debate, arguing that Democrats are not only far from the two-thirds majority required to override a presidential veto but also far short of the 60 votes they need to get around a filibuster. Last week’s Iraq withdrawal effort was defeated 50-48, with Nelson and Sen. Mark Pryor, D-Ark., opposing it and one Republican, Sen. Gordon Smith of Oregon, defecting from the GOP.

Under the Senate funding bill, redeployments would begin within four months, with most combat forces withdrawn by March 31, 2008. A limited number of troops would remain in Iraq to provide training and security and to combat terrorism.