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Iraq battle looms in US Congress US Senate steps up Iraq pressure
(about 13 hours later)
President George W Bush will face fresh pressure over his Iraq policy this week as the US Senate debates war funding. The US Senate is debating amendments to the annual military budget designed to put pressure on the White House to start withdrawing US forces from Iraq.
Four Republican senators have withdrawn their support for his strategy in recent days, adding their voice to a growing number calling for a new plan. Senate Majority leader Harry Reid, a Democrat, said the president's troop "surge" strategy was not working.
The White House has denied reports its officials are debating whether Mr Bush should announce plans now for a gradual pull-out, to stem more defections. He urged those high-profile Republicans who have broken with President George W Bush in recent weeks to vote with Democrats to end the war.
The administration is due to report to Congress on Iraq progress by 15 July. The administration is to report to Congress on Iraq progress by 15 July.
The interim report, on 18 measures of progress, is required by law under a previous funding bill. The interim report on 18 measures of progress is required by law under a previous funding bill.
US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has cancelled a planned trip to Latin America in order to concentrate on the debate over Iraq, the Pentagon said on Sunday. Meanwhile, Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari has warned that a premature withdrawal of US troops from Iraq could trigger a civil war and wider Middle East conflict.
Meanwhile, Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari has warned that a premature withdrawal of US troops from Iraq could trigger a civil war. The US military commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus, says fighting the insurgency there is a long-term endeavour which could take many years.
General David Petraeus, the US commander in Iraq, and US ambassador Ryan Crocker will give a progress report in September on the "surge" strategy, under which some 30,000 extra US troops have been deployed in Iraq. Gen Petraeus and US ambassador Ryan Crocker will give a progress report in September on the strategy, under which some 30,000 extra US troops have been deployed in Iraq.
Support 'collapsing'Support 'collapsing'
Support for Mr Bush is wavering just as the Senate prepares to discuss a major defence spending bill, a debate that promises to be contentious. Support for Mr Bush is wavering just as the Senate discusses the military spending bill.
There is no debate right now on withdrawing forces right now from Iraq Tony SnowWhite House spokesman The idea of trying to make a political judgement rather than a military judgement about how to have forces in the field is simply not true Tony SnowWhite House spokesman
Among those to defect are high-profile Republican Senators Pete Domenici and Richard Lugar, a senior Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee.Among those to defect are high-profile Republican Senators Pete Domenici and Richard Lugar, a senior Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee.
According to the New York Times newspaper, White House officials who previously thought they could wait until September to begin discussions on withdrawal from Iraq now think Mr Bush must act quickly to forestall more unrest in his party.According to the New York Times newspaper, White House officials who previously thought they could wait until September to begin discussions on withdrawal from Iraq now think Mr Bush must act quickly to forestall more unrest in his party.
However, the White House has denied claims it is contemplating pulling US troops out imminently. Democratic Senator, Jim Webb, spoke of his frustration.
"We're now in the fifth year of ground combat operations in Iraq, and this deck of cards is coming crashing down.
"And it's landing heavily on the heads of the soldiers and the marines who have been deployed again and again, while the rest of the country sits back and debates Iraq as an intellectual or emotional exercise," he said
'Security vacuum'
The White House has denied claims it is contemplating pulling US troops out imminently.
President Bush's Iraq policy is losing support within his own partyMr Bush had repeatedly stated that he held the goal of withdrawing troops from Iraq as conditions on the ground made it possible, spokesman Tony Snow said.President Bush's Iraq policy is losing support within his own partyMr Bush had repeatedly stated that he held the goal of withdrawing troops from Iraq as conditions on the ground made it possible, spokesman Tony Snow said.
"But the idea of trying to make a political judgement rather than a military judgement about how to have forces in the field is simply not true," Mr Snow said."But the idea of trying to make a political judgement rather than a military judgement about how to have forces in the field is simply not true," Mr Snow said.
He also sought to lower expectations ahead of the interim report on progress in Iraq, saying it was unrealistic to expect all the benchmarks to have been met already.He also sought to lower expectations ahead of the interim report on progress in Iraq, saying it was unrealistic to expect all the benchmarks to have been met already.
'Security vacuum'
Democratic leaders may hope to capitalise on the growing divisions in the Republican ranks to make progress on their demands for a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq.Democratic leaders may hope to capitalise on the growing divisions in the Republican ranks to make progress on their demands for a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq.
Gen Petraeus says more time is needed to see results of the surgeSenate Majority leader Harry Reid told reporters on Monday that the Democrats would seek to pass anti-war legislation with the military funding bill.
One amendment, sponsored by Democrat Jim Webb and Republican Chuck Hagel, would require troops to spend the same amount of time at home as in combat, making extended deployments more difficult.One amendment, sponsored by Democrat Jim Webb and Republican Chuck Hagel, would require troops to spend the same amount of time at home as in combat, making extended deployments more difficult.
Another proposed amendment, by Democratic Senator Carl Levin, would require that troop withdrawals begin within 120 days of the bill being passed.Another proposed amendment, by Democratic Senator Carl Levin, would require that troop withdrawals begin within 120 days of the bill being passed.
The Bush administration's surge strategy has seen thousands of extra soldiers deployed to the Baghdad area in an attempt to impose order and so allow political progress to take place.
Gen Petraeus told the BBC's John Simpson that more time was needed to see the results of the surge because all the troops had only been in place since mid-June.Gen Petraeus told the BBC's John Simpson that more time was needed to see the results of the surge because all the troops had only been in place since mid-June.
But with US casualties mounting and questions over how much progress is being made, many US lawmakers are under pressure from constituents to pursue a change of strategy.But with US casualties mounting and questions over how much progress is being made, many US lawmakers are under pressure from constituents to pursue a change of strategy.
However, speaking after a weekend of violent attacks in Iraq, Mr Zebari warned that a quick pull-out of US forces could be disastrous.
He said: "This could produce a civil war, partition of the country and a regional war. We might see the country collapse."