US Senate sets “surrender date” in Iraqi campaign

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The US Senate led by Democrats turned down amendment proposed by the Republicans to remove a call for U.S. withdrawal from Iraq from a $ war-spending bill. According to Democrats, the voting is was a sign of growing support for bringing the four-year-old war to an end. CNN quotes Senator-Democrat Jack Reed as saying that “it is a serious message” to be “heeded by the president and by the government of Iraq.”

According to the amendment, withdrawal of US combat troops from Iraq is to start within 120 days and be completed by next March. A reduced contingent of US troops will remain in Iraq to train Iraqi troops and police forces and counteract terrorists from al-Qaeda. According to the leader of Senate minority, Republican Mitch McConnell, this is practically a “surrender date” in the Iraqi campaign, CNN reports.

50 Senators voted for removing the clause on withdrawal from Iraq from the bill on financing war campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq, 48 were against it. Earlier, US President George Bush announced he would veto the bill.