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Bush to meet Congress over Iraq Bush meets top Democrats on Iraq
(about 1 hour later)
US President George W Bush is to meet top Democrats to try to find a way to fund US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. US President George W Bush is meeting top Democrats to try to find a way to fund US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
It comes a day after he vetoed a Congressional bill that would have linked war funding to a timetable for withdrawal of US troops from Iraq.It comes a day after he vetoed a Congressional bill that would have linked war funding to a timetable for withdrawal of US troops from Iraq.
A vote in the House of Representatives has failed to achieve the two-thirds majority needed to override the veto.
Each side has urged compromise on the issue, with talk turning to setting "benchmarks" for Iraqi leaders to meet.Each side has urged compromise on the issue, with talk turning to setting "benchmarks" for Iraqi leaders to meet.
Mr Bush said he was confident "with goodwill on both sides, that we can move beyond political statements".Mr Bush said he was confident "with goodwill on both sides, that we can move beyond political statements".
Leaders of the Democrat-controlled US Congress on Tuesday signed the controversial bill agreeing to $100bn (£50bn) in further funding on condition US combat troops begin to withdraw this year.Leaders of the Democrat-controlled US Congress on Tuesday signed the controversial bill agreeing to $100bn (£50bn) in further funding on condition US combat troops begin to withdraw this year.
'Right direction''Right direction'
Congress will now have to seek some kind of compromise in order to draft new legislation on war funding.Congress will now have to seek some kind of compromise in order to draft new legislation on war funding.
The president wants a blank cheque, the Congress is not going to give it to him Nancy PelosiDemocratic House Speaker The Democrats acknowledge they will eventually have to soften their bill as they cannot risk being accused of undercutting the troops during wartime, says the BBC's James Westhead in Washington. The president wants a blank cheque - the Congress will not give it to him Nancy PelosiDemocratic House Speaker
Speaking to reporters, White House spokesman Tony Snow warned that the negotiations "may take some time". Lawmakers in the House of Representatives held a vote on overriding the veto shortly before Democratic leaders went into the meeting with President Bush.
As expected, the 222-203 vote in favour fell far short of the two-thirds majority needed to overturn the measure.
Speaking in the debate ahead of the vote, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic House leader, said: "The American president has turned a tin ear to the wishes of the American people.
"The president wants a blank cheque. The Congress will not give it to him."
Mr Bush has said he will veto any bill that sets an "artificial" timetable for withdrawal, insisting that time is needed for the new strategy of a surge of reinforcements in Baghdad to succeed.Mr Bush has said he will veto any bill that sets an "artificial" timetable for withdrawal, insisting that time is needed for the new strategy of a surge of reinforcements in Baghdad to succeed.
The top US general in Iraq, David Petraeus, has said reducing forces could lead to increased violence.The top US general in Iraq, David Petraeus, has said reducing forces could lead to increased violence.
Speaking on Wednesday morning to a US building contractors' association, Mr Bush asked for patience.Speaking on Wednesday morning to a US building contractors' association, Mr Bush asked for patience.
"We are heading in the right direction," he said, adding that signs of progress in Iraq were "not headline-grabbing" compared to the news of car bombings and suicide attacks, but were there nonetheless."We are heading in the right direction," he said, adding that signs of progress in Iraq were "not headline-grabbing" compared to the news of car bombings and suicide attacks, but were there nonetheless.
"Even if you think it was a mistake to go into Iraq, it would be a far greater mistake to pull out now," he said. "There is no easy road out. The easy road would be the wrong road."
'Mission accomplished''Mission accomplished'
The Democrats acknowledge they will eventually have to soften their bill as they cannot risk being accused of undercutting the troops during wartime, says the BBC's James Westhead in Washington.
It is not yet known what the so-called benchmarks for the Iraqi government will be, but they could include monitoring of Iraqi government cooperation with the US and requiring an Iraqi-run programme to disarm militias.It is not yet known what the so-called benchmarks for the Iraqi government will be, but they could include monitoring of Iraqi government cooperation with the US and requiring an Iraqi-run programme to disarm militias.
Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell told Fox television that setting benchmarks for the Iraqi government "is the place where compromise would well be achieved".Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell told Fox television that setting benchmarks for the Iraqi government "is the place where compromise would well be achieved".
Democratic House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said he hoped the House would vote on a new war funding bill within a fortnight.Democratic House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said he hoped the House would vote on a new war funding bill within a fortnight.
"We are going to fund the troops, we are not going to leave our troops in harm's way without the resources that they need.""We are going to fund the troops, we are not going to leave our troops in harm's way without the resources that they need."
Reacting to the veto, Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the bill reflected the wishes of Americans to have benchmarks for what is happening in Iraq.
"We had hoped that the president would have treated it with the respect that bipartisan legislation supported overwhelmingly by the American people deserved.
"The president wants a blank cheque, the Congress is not going to give it to him," she said.
The Senate last week voted largely along party lines 51 to 46 in favour of the legislation, which said the pull-out must start by 1 October and sets a target of completion by 31 March 2008.The Senate last week voted largely along party lines 51 to 46 in favour of the legislation, which said the pull-out must start by 1 October and sets a target of completion by 31 March 2008.
The veto coincided with the fourth anniversary of a speech in which Mr Bush declared major combat operations in Iraq over, standing beneath a banner proclaiming "mission accomplished".