Dems unveil backup bill requiring troop withdrawal

Senate Democrats have upped the ante in their confrontation with President Bush over Iraq by introducing legislation requiring a troop withdrawal to begin within 120 days of its enactment and mandating an end to funding for the war as of March 31, 2008.

In a joint statement with Sen. Russell Feingold, D-Wis., Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said the measure was intended as a backup to the troop pullout language included in the $121.5 billion war supplemental spending bill that cleared the Senate last week.

Reid said if Bush vetoes the supplemental as promised, and continues to resist changing course in Iraq, "I will work to ensure that this (new) legislation receives a vote in the Senate" later this spring. Feingold, a longstanding advocate of terminating funding for military operations in Iraq, said Congress "has a responsibility to end a war that is opposed by the American people."

The war supplemental also calls for a troop withdrawal to start within 120 days of enactment. It makes exceptions for those assigned to training Iraqi forces, guarding U.S. installations or dedicated to counter-terrorism operations.

The Feingold-Reid bill would terminate funding for all military operations by the March 2008 date except for these three activities.