Senate backs Iraq withdrawal date

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The US Senate has passed a bill calling for all US combat troops to leave Iraq within a year, defying a veto threat.

The Senate vote came only an hour after President Bush made his third vow in less than a week to veto such a law.

"I'll veto a bill that restricts our commanders on the ground... a bill that doesn't fund our troops," he said.

The vote of 51 to 47 links funding for the war to a goal of getting US combat troops out of Iraq by March 2008. The House has passed a similar bill.