Bush Unwilling to Compromise on Iraq Funding

President Bush today offered no compromise in his standoff with Congress over funding for the Iraq war, saying lawmakers should pass any Iraq legislation they want -- but do it "as quickly as possible" so he can move ahead with a promised veto.

"If Congress fails to act in the next few weeks, it will have significant consequences for our men and women in the Armed Forces," Bush said at a White House news conference.

Congressional Democrats quickly accused Bush of refusing to change course in a four-year-old war that has killed more than 3,200 U.S. service members.

"It's disheartening that the President does not see that his policy in Iraq is a failure," Sen. Christopher J. Dodd (Conn.) said in a statement.

Both the House and the Senate have approved supplemental war funding bills that envision troops being pulled out on different timetables over the next year -- and threatened that if Bush does not accept some version of that language it could lead to even tougher legislation.

In remarks at the Rose Garden today, Bush said he thinks he has the support to sustain a veto, and that if Congress is intent on putting troop withdrawal requirements in the funding bill they should do it soon so the process can move forward.

Ultimately, he said, Congress will need to approve money to fund the war effort, or risk a situation where troops in the field are left without necessary equipment or the rotation of different units is thrown off schedule. Military leaders have said that by mid-May funding restraints could force them to leave some troops in the field longer than planned because the money would not be available to equip and train replacements.

Members of Congress "have left Washington for spring recess without finishing the work. They seem more interested in fighting political battles in Washington than with providing the troops with what they need to fight the battle in Iraq," Bush said.

"Delays beyond April and then into May will effect the readiness of the U.S. military...Enough politics. They need to come back. If they want to play politics, fine. They ought to do it quickly...I'll veto it. Then we can get down to the business of funding our troops."

Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) said Bush's promised veto "rings as tragically hollow as his pledge of 'mission accomplished,' " shortly after the Iraq war began.

"President Bush stubbornly refuses to change the disastrous policy in Iraq, so this Congress has no choice but to force a change in course," Kerry said in a statement. "No more open ended commitment, no more leaving American troops in the middle of an Iraqi civil war. The American mission in Iraq will be to train Iraqis and chase Al Qaeda, not do for Iraqis what they must do for themselves."

A showdown between Bush and Congress over Iraq war policy has been brewing since Democrats won control of the House and Senate in the November elections. The main battle so far has involved a request by Bush for extra money to fund the war. The House and Senate have approved about $120 billion in extra funding, but each attached their own provisions for pulling troops out beginning next year.

Along with repeating his opposition to any sort of troop withdrawal timetable -- which Bush and supporters say would only embolden militants intent on outlasting the U.S. presence in Iraq -- the president said it was wrong to begin discussing any reduction in troop levels before the military completed its ongoing effort to reinforce the personnel that are there.

Bush announced his plans for a troop surge at the start of the year, but so far only two of five brigades have been sent.

"We have put 40 percent of the reinforcements in place and people already want to start withdrawing," Bush said.

Bush said it was important that the extra troops be given time to try to stabilize the security situation in Iraq, and particularly in the volatile capital of Baghdad. He said the situation there was improving, that the Iraqi government was following through on it promise to do more to police the city, and that leaving prematurely would create a "cauldron of chaos" in the country.

"I fully understand the anguish people go through," said Bush, "but I also hope people will take a sober look at the consequences of failure."

Brendan Daly, a spokesman for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), said the House and Senate bills are a response to the needs of U.S. military personnel and the views of the American people.

"The executive and legislative branches each have a role in this process, and the Speaker encourages the President not to assign blame to Congress for doing its job," Daly said in a statement.