Democrats surrender to Bush over funding for Iraq troops
Tim Reid in Washington
From The TimesMay 24, 2007
Democrats yesterday abandoned their demand that a war funding Bill contain a withdrawal date for US troops from Iraq, thereby handing President Bush a victory in his fight with Congress over how to end the conflict.
The decision to back down and give Mr Bush almost $90 billion (£45 billion), which he had requested in February to continue paying for the war, brought only a temporary end to the legislative showdown over Iraq, with Democrats vowing to renew calls for troop withdrawal this summer.
The Democrat capitulation was a reminder that despite their takeover of Congress after the November mid-term elections, which many in the party saw as a popular call to end the war, their slim majorities in the lower house and Senate still leave them powerless to override a presidential veto.
The three-month battle over funding the war has demonstrated that Mr Bush, despite his anaemic approval ratings and the unpopularity of the war, is still able to prosecute it without congressional interference. The Democratic decision was also a reflection of the political dangers of cutting off funds for the war. Although two thirds of Americans oppose the conflict Democrats are still haunted by the experience of Vietnam. The party, which controlled Congress then, cut off funds for that deeply unpopular war but then spent decades being blamed for the defeat.
Democrat leaders worried that a continued refusal to give Mr Bush an Iraq funding Bill that he would sign – he vetoed one last month that contained a withdrawal date – would be seen as indifference to the troops, a politically untenable stance.
One key to Mr Bush’s victory was that Republicans on the Capitol largely stood united behind the White House.
“Democrats have finally conceded defeat in their effort to include mandatory surrender dates in a funding bill for the troops,” John Boehner, the Republican leader in the House, said. But Democrats believe that, despite their climb-down, the spending battle has laid the ground for a fresh push to end the war later this year. The $120 billion Bill that they will send to Mr Bush tomorrow funds the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan only until September – the month that General David Petraeus, the US ground commander, gives his crucial progress report to Congress.
This month a delegation of moderate Republicans went to the White House and told Mr Bush that unless General Petraeus could prove significant progress in the war they would defect. Ray LaHood, one of those Republicans, said yesterday that progress in Iraq must come quickly. “There is very, very thin patience on the part of the American people.”
Mr Bush made some concessions. After initially saying that he would accept no strings in a funding Bill, he agreed to 18 political and legislative “bench-marks” for the Iraqi Government. If they are not met US reconstruction aid could be cut.
