US spending debate could set date for Iraq pullout

A war spending bill is to be debated by the US Senate today that could set a non-binding goal of March 31 next year for the removal of combat troops from Iraq.

One of the Senate’s Republican leaders said he believed his party has enough votes to block the measure.

The House of Representatives narrowly passed a bill on Friday that would pay for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan this year, but would require that combat troops come home from Iraq before September 2008 – or earlier if the Iraqi government did not meet certain requirements.

The Senate’s No 2 Republican leader, Trent Lott, harshly criticised House Democrats yesterday for setting an “artificial date” for withdrawing troops from Iraq and said he believes Republicans have enough votes to prevent passage of a similar bill in the Senate.

“For Congress to impose an artificial date of any kind is totally irresponsible,” Lott said.

Republican Senator Chuck Hagel, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a frequent critic of the war, stopped short of calling for Bush’s impeachment.

But he made clear yesterday that some politicians viewed that as an option should Bush choose to push ahead despite public sentiment against the war.