Congressional Democrats are showing no signs of backing down on their rebuke of the Iraq war

. . . insisting President Bush will have to accept some sort of legislative timetable in exchange for the billions of dollars needed to fund the war.

"We would hope that the president understands how serious we are," said Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, after the Senate voted to uphold a proposal in a war spending bill calling for the troop withdrawal.

. . . Reid and other Democrats say they won't back down.

"Rather than making all the threats that he has, let's work with him and see if he can give us some ideas how we can satisfy the wishes of a majority of the Senate, the majority of the House and move forward," Reid said.

The House last week passed a similar bill by a 218-212 vote. That bill orders combat troops out by August 31, 2008 -- guaranteeing the final spending measure negotiated with the Senate will include some sort of timetable on the war.

Sen. Chuck Schumer said he sees Tuesday's vote as the first step in turning up the heat on Bush's war policies.

"This is not one battle; it's a long-term campaign," Schumer, D-New York, told reporters.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/03/28/us.iraq.ap/index.html

In recent months, GOP Sens. Susan Collins (news, bio, voting record) of Maine, John Warner (news, bio, voting record) of Virginia, Norm Coleman (news, bio, voting record) of Minnesota and Olympia Snowe (news, bio, voting record) of Maine wanted legislation expressing opposition to Bush's war strategy and setting goals for the Iraqi government to meet in exchange for continued U.S. support.

But each said they opposed setting a firm timetable on the war and sided with their Republican colleagues.

"My vote against this rapid withdrawal does not mean that I support an open-ended commitment of U.S. troops to Iraq," Collins said in a statement issued after the vote.

If Bush's strategy in Iraq does not show "significant results" by fall, "then Congress should consider all options including a redefinition of our mission and a gradual but significant withdrawal of our troops next year."

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I AM SORRY, SHE DOESN'T WANT TO SET A TIMETABLE...BUT THEN SAYS PULL THEM OUT BY FALL IF NOTHING HAPPENS??? WOULDN'T THAT BE ANNOUNCING A TIMETABLE YOU MORON!?!?! These Republicans will all lose their next elections...

to their guns. thanks for posting this.