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| Bush hints at Iraq funding deal | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| US President George W Bush has hinted at compromise on an Iraq funding bill ahead of a vote on the issue in the House of Representatives. | US President George W Bush has hinted at compromise on an Iraq funding bill ahead of a vote on the issue in the House of Representatives. |
| He said the idea of setting benchmarks on progress in Iraq "made sense". | He said the idea of setting benchmarks on progress in Iraq "made sense". |
| However he warned he would veto the bill in its current form, which funds operations in Iraq to the end of July but ties further money to progress. | However he warned he would veto the bill in its current form, which funds operations in Iraq to the end of July but ties further money to progress. |
| Mr Bush has already vetoed one Democrat-drafted bill that linked funding to troop withdrawal. | Mr Bush has already vetoed one Democrat-drafted bill that linked funding to troop withdrawal. |
| The new bill would ring-fence about half of the money that Mr Bush has requested to fund the war in Iraq. | The new bill would ring-fence about half of the money that Mr Bush has requested to fund the war in Iraq. |
| Lawmakers would then vote in July on whether to release this money on the basis of a report from Mr Bush on progress towards political, economic and security targets. | Lawmakers would then vote in July on whether to release this money on the basis of a report from Mr Bush on progress towards political, economic and security targets. |
| Mr Bush said such "piecemeal" funding would not work. | Mr Bush said such "piecemeal" funding would not work. |
| He has resisted any attempt to link war funding to withdrawal but is coming under increasing pressure from some Republicans, as well as Democrats, over progress in Iraq. | He has resisted any attempt to link war funding to withdrawal but is coming under increasing pressure from some Republicans, as well as Democrats, over progress in Iraq. |
| Earlier on Thursday, the House of Representatives rejected a separate bill and largely symbolic bill calling for US troops to withdraw from Iraq within 180 days of the legislation being passed. | |
| The vote, proposed by a group of anti-war Democrats, was rejected by 255 votes to 171. | |
| 'Speed up the clock' | 'Speed up the clock' |
| Speaking to reporters after he met defence officials at the Pentagon, Mr Bush reiterated his determination to strike down the legislation before Congress in its current form. | Speaking to reporters after he met defence officials at the Pentagon, Mr Bush reiterated his determination to strike down the legislation before Congress in its current form. |
| One message I have heard from people of both sides is that benchmarks make sense, and I agree President George W Bush | One message I have heard from people of both sides is that benchmarks make sense, and I agree President George W Bush |
| "I'll veto the bill if it is this haphazard, piecemeal funding and I made that clear," he said. "We reject that idea. It won't work." | "I'll veto the bill if it is this haphazard, piecemeal funding and I made that clear," he said. "We reject that idea. It won't work." |
| However, the president's statement that he would consider discussion on putting benchmarks in a war-funding bill represents a shift in his position. | However, the president's statement that he would consider discussion on putting benchmarks in a war-funding bill represents a shift in his position. |
| "One message I have heard from people of both sides is that benchmarks make sense, and I agree," he said. | "One message I have heard from people of both sides is that benchmarks make sense, and I agree," he said. |
| Mr Bush said he had asked his chief of staff, Joshua Bolten, to talk to congressional leaders "to find common ground" on setting benchmarks. | Mr Bush said he had asked his chief of staff, Joshua Bolten, to talk to congressional leaders "to find common ground" on setting benchmarks. |
| The idea of "benchmarks", which have been unspecified so far but may include targets for the Iraqi government to meet, began circulating on Capitol Hill after the first war funding bill was vetoed. | The idea of "benchmarks", which have been unspecified so far but may include targets for the Iraqi government to meet, began circulating on Capitol Hill after the first war funding bill was vetoed. |
| Mr Bush said the Iraqi government - which plans to take a two-month summer recess - needed to "speed up their clock" on measures designed to bring stability to the country. | Mr Bush said the Iraqi government - which plans to take a two-month summer recess - needed to "speed up their clock" on measures designed to bring stability to the country. |
| 'Not listening' | 'Not listening' |
| US Vice-President Dick Cheney met Iraq's political leaders and US army chiefs in Baghdad on Wednesday to discuss security and attempts at political reconciliation. | US Vice-President Dick Cheney met Iraq's political leaders and US army chiefs in Baghdad on Wednesday to discuss security and attempts at political reconciliation. |
| Dick Cheney has been talking to Iraqi leaders and the US military | Dick Cheney has been talking to Iraqi leaders and the US military |
| A number of Republicans have met Mr Bush to express their concern about the lack of progress in Iraq, US newspapers reported on Thursday. | A number of Republicans have met Mr Bush to express their concern about the lack of progress in Iraq, US newspapers reported on Thursday. |
| Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Thursday the new legislation before Congress was evidence that the Democrats were determined to challenge Mr Bush over the war. | Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Thursday the new legislation before Congress was evidence that the Democrats were determined to challenge Mr Bush over the war. |
| "The president refuses to listen to the American people who want this war to end," she said. | "The president refuses to listen to the American people who want this war to end," she said. |
| Although the new bill is likely to pass in the House, most Republicans oppose it. That makes it unlikely it will be passed in the Senate, where the Democrats have a very slender majority. | Although the new bill is likely to pass in the House, most Republicans oppose it. That makes it unlikely it will be passed in the Senate, where the Democrats have a very slender majority. |
| US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has said a funding cut in July would cripple the Pentagon financially. | US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has said a funding cut in July would cripple the Pentagon financially. |
| President Bush has asked Congress to give time for the administration's "surge" strategy of pouring extra troops into Baghdad to work. | President Bush has asked Congress to give time for the administration's "surge" strategy of pouring extra troops into Baghdad to work. |