Democrats Plan For Iraq

From WASHINGTON — In a direct challenge to President Bush,
House Democrats unveiled legislation Thursday requiring the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from Iraq by the fall of next year. Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the deadline would be added to legislation providing nearly $100 billion the Bush administration has requested for fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.

She told reporters the measure would mark the first time the new Democratic-controlled Congress has established a
"date certain" for the end of U.S. combat in the four-year-old war that has claimed the lives of more than 3,100 U.S. troops.

Rep. David Obey, D-Wis., and chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, said the proposal would bring an "orderly and responsible close" to American participation in what he called an Iraqi "civil war."

According to an explanation of the measure distributed by Democratic aides, the timetable for withdrawal would be accelerated if
the government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki
did not meet goals for providing for Iraq's security.

Democrats won control of Congress last fall in midterm elections shadowed by public opposition to the war

house Leader Pelosi made her announcement as Senate Democrats reviewed a different approach —
a measure that would set a goal of troop withdrawal by March of 2008.

Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada called a closed-door meeting of the rank-and-file to consider the measure.

the spending legislation will come up for vote, likely later this month.

Democrats also intend to add $1.2 billion to Bush's request for military operations in Afghanistan, where the Taliban is expected to mount a spring offensive.

The bill also will exceed Bush's request for veterans' health care and medical programs for active duty troops at facilities such as the scandal-scarred Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington.

Democrats also are including funds for a health care program for low-income children.
The program is popular among governors of both political parties, but the administration has not signaled its acquiescence to the additional money.

As described by Democrats, the legislation will require Bush to certify by July 1
and again by Oct. 1. whether the Iraqi government is making progress
toward providing for the country's security, allocating its oil revenues and creating a fair system for amending its constitution.

They said if Bush certified the Iraqis were meeting these so-called benchmarks,
U.S. combat troops would have to begin withdrawing by March 1, 2008,
and complete the redeployment by Sept. 1, 2008

Otherwise, the deadlines would move up.

If Bush cannot make the required certification by July 1,
troops must begin a six-month withdrawal immediately.
If Bush cannot make the second certification,
the same six-month timetable would apply.

The legislation also requires the Pentagon to adhere to its existing standards for equipping and training U.S. troops sent overseas and for providing time at home between tours of combat.

Pelosi said the provision
was designed to make sure the government would "not
be sending our troops into battle without the proper training,
the proper equipment."

Yet The legislation
also permits Bush to issue waivers of these standards.
the overall effect
would be to permit the administration to proceed
with plans to deploy five additional combat brigades to the Baghdad area
over the next few months.

The measure emerged from days of private talks among Democrats following the collapse of Rep. John Murtha's original proposal, which would have required the Pentagon to meet readiness and training standards without
the possibility of a waiver.

Murtha, D-Pa. and chairman of a House Appropriations military subcommittee, said
its implementation without the possibility of a waiver, would have starved the war effort of troops because the Pentagon would not
have been able to find enough
fully rested, trained and equipped units to meet its needs.

Contains portions of DAVID ESPO, AP Special Correspondents Democrats want Iraq pullout by fall 2008