WASHINGTON, March 8 (UPI) -- A Democratic plan announced Thursday sets a 2008 deadline for withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq with an earlier pullback if Iraq fails to meet benchmarks.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the goal is to "refocus our military efforts on Afghanistan and fighting the war on terrorism where it began."
The U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans Health and Iraq Accountability Act includes more funding for Afghanistan, for the care of wounded soldiers and for military equipment, CNN reported. A spokesman for President Bush said he was likely to veto the bill if it passes Congress.
The benchmarks would require the Bush administration to certify the Iraqi government is meeting goals on stability and sharing oil revenues. If they are not met, troops could begin leaving as early as July.
"Unfortunately, the Democrats' latest plan is an old twist on an old adage: Failure at any cost," House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, said. "Democrats are using the critical troop funding bill to micromanage the war on terror -- undermining our generals on the ground and slowly choking off resources for our troops. By establishing and telegraphing to our enemy arbitrary timelines for withdrawal, Democrats are mandating failure."
