U.S. Democrats divided on Iraq strategy

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 (UPI) -- U.S. House Democrats haven't found common ground on the funding and operation of the war in Iraq, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said.

Pelosi made the remark Tuesday night after a boisterous caucus meeting in which debate arose over training, equipping and resting combat troops, The Washington Post reported.

Legislators were back in the capital after a week in their home districts, during which time Republicans made allegations the Democrats would harm funding for the war, which Pelosi rebutted after the caucus, The New York Times reported.

"Let me be clear -- we will fund the troops," she told reporters.

U.S. Rep. John Tanner, D-Tenn., said it wasn't just Democrats who are uncertain of the best approach.

"The country's conflicted," Tanner said. "We don't want to do the same thing we've been doing for 3 1/2 years that hasn't worked but we don't want to pull the plug."

U.S. Rep. James Moran, D-Va., said regardless of what Democrats do, he wants the Iraq war legacy on U.S. President George Bush's record.

"It's his war to manage and it's his war to end," Moran said.