Bush touts new Iraq plan as Congress to vote on war funding bill

U.S. President George W. Bush on Thursday addressed the nation on his new plan for Iraq, seizing the opportunity that the Congress will soon vote on a war funding bill without setting deadline to withdraw troops from Iraq.

Speaking to the nation from the Rose Garden in the White House, Bush also noted that this summer will be critical for his Iraq strategy, and predicts heavy fighting there in the coming weeks.

"Today Congress will vote on legislation that provides our troops with the funds they need," he said, referring to a legislation that will provide more than 90 billion U.S. dollars to pay for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan through September 30, the end of the fiscal year 2007.

Bush vetoed the previous version of that funding bill last month because it included a timetable for withdrawing troops, a Democratic effort.

Unable to overthrow the veto, the Democrats decided earlier this week to drop the withdrawal timetable in the bill, but added benchmarks to press the Iraqi government for political and security progress.

The Congress is expected to vote on the bill later in the day and send it to Bush as early as Friday.

"My administration and members of Congress from both parties have had many meetings to work out our differences on this legislation," Bush said.

"As it provides vital funds for our troops, this bill also reflects a consensus that the Iraqi government needs to show real progress in return for America's continued support and sacrifice," he added.

Bush seemed to be receptive to the benchmarks that Democrats tried to ink in the war funding bill.

"These benchmarks provide both the Iraqi government and the American people with a clear road map on the way forward," he said.

In order to secure the bill's passage, House leaders are planning to orchestrate two votes later Thursday.

The first vote will be on war funding, while the second will decide whether extra money should be spent on domestic emergencies, military base closures, veterans care and other projects.

The Senate will cast its own vote by Friday before sending it to Bush's desk.

However, Democrats said they won't give up on a deadline for pulling troops out of Iraq, hoping to write language into defense appropriations and defense authorization bills over the summer.

Bush also touted his new plan for Iraq, which focuses on troop escalation and political progress.

"Our new strategy is designed to help Iraq's leaders provide security for their people, and get control of their capital so they can move forward with reconciliation and reconstruction," he said.

The president said this summer will be "a critical time for the new strategy" and he expected heavy fighting and more American and Iraqi casualties.

Therefore, "we must provide our troops with the funds and resources they need to prevail," Bush said, noting the need to pass the war funding bill.

Source: Xinhua