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Democrats celebrate Iraq measure

Democrats on Tuesday hailed as "historic" the passage of a US Senate measure tying funding for the Iraq war to a timetable for withdrawing US troops -- even as they conceded an uphill fight in getting the measure passed into law.

By vote of 48 to 50, the Senate rejected on Tuesday a Republican measure that would have stripped language imposing a deadline of next March from an emergency funding bill for Iraq and Afghanistan.

The vote put Democrats a step closer to victory in their bid to pull US troops from war-ravaged Iraq, although the goal was still considered a longshot.

"This is not one battle; it's a long-term campaign to persuade the president, to pressure the president to change course. And we will keep at it," Senator Chuck Schumer said.

"We make no mistake about it, we have many more steps to go. But we will persist until we get there," the Democrat said.

Democrats planned a victory lap yesterday, with party leaders Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi -- of the Senate and House respectively -- along with former defense secretary William Perry scheduling a mid-afternoon press conference to crow about their victory, and present "a new course in Iraq."

"Today was a significant step forward in our efforts to change course in Iraq and makes America more secure," Reid said shortly after the vote.

The legislation would impose a binding requirement for troops withdrawal to begin 120 days after passage.

"The president must change course, and this legislation gives him a chance to do that," the Senate leader continued.

A vote on the entire supplemental spending bill is expected later this week. US President George W. Bush has promised to veto the measure, over the extra spending as well as the deadline for pulling out troops.

The president "is disappointed that the Senate continues down a path with a bill that he will veto and has no chance of becoming law," his deputy press secretary, Dana Perino, said in a statement after Tuesday's vote.

Both the House and Senate require a two-thirds vote to override a presidential veto, which neither chamber is likely to muster.

Democrats have said voter disgust with the course of events there prompted many voters to choose them over Bush's Republican party in last November's election.

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