U.S. House approves Iraq funding plan

The Democratic-controlled U.S. House of Representatives voted Thursday night to pay for military operations in Iraq on an installment plan, despite President George W. Bush's threat of a second straight veto.

The 221-205 vote, largely along party lines, sends the measure to an expected cool reception in the Senate, where Majority Leader Harry Reid is seeking compromise with the White House and Republicans on a funding bill.

Bush has signalled some flexibility, offering to accept a spending bill that sets out standards for the Iraqi government to meet.

The vote Thursday was one of two that challenged Bush on the war. Both votes came despite Bush's proven ability to sustain his veto in Congress — the House upheld his rejection of a troop-withdrawal timetable last week.

The first vote Thursday was on a bill that would have required the withdrawal of U.S. combat forces from Iraq within nine months. It fell 255-171, with 59 Democrats joining almost all Republicans in opposition.

"This war is a terrible tragedy and it is time to bring it to an end," said U.S. Representative James McGovern, a Democrat from Massachusetts and a leading advocate of the bill to establish a nine-month withdrawal timetable.

"For four long, deadly years, this administration and their allies in Congress have been flat wrong about Iraq."

Republicans argued a withdrawal would be disastrous.

"Now is not the time to signal retreat and surrender. How could this Congress walk away from our men and women in uniform?" said Representative Jerry Lewis of California.

'We reject the idea': Bush

A few hours later, the House passed legislation providing funds for the war grudgingly, in two installments. The first portion would cover costs until Aug. 1 — $42.8 billion US to buy equipment and train Iraqi and Afghan security forces.

Under the bill, it would take a summertime vote by Congress to free an additional $52.8 billion, the money needed to cover costs through the Sept. 30 end of the fiscal year.

"We reject that idea. It won't work," Bush declared after a meeting with military leaders at the Pentagon.

Democrat officials, speaking privately, said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had agreed to allow the vote on the withdrawal measure in the hope her rank-and-file would then unite behind the funding bill.

But in an increasingly complex political environment, even that measure was deemed to be dead on arrival in the Senate, where Democrats hold a narrow advantage and the rules give Republicans leverage to block legislation.