Bush criticizes new Iraq bill ahead of House vote

President Bush earlier today criticized the Democrats’ latest Iraq funding bill as inadequate and reissued a veto threat, just hours before the House was to vote on the plan.

Later today, Democratic leaders hope to push through an Iraq supplemental that gives Congress the option of cutting off funding in July if the situation in Iraq does not improve. For the first time, there will also be an up-or-down vote on a troop-withdrawal bill for which liberal Democrats have been pushing.

{mosads}However, Bush said he is opposed to the staggered funding approach that Democratic leaders are advocating.

“I’ll veto the bill if it’s this haphazard, piecemeal funding,” Bush said.

The president stated that his troop-surge plan should be given more time, pointing out that not all of the combat units that are part of the new initiative to secure Baghdad are in place yet.

Bush explained that this was the message he gave 11 centrist Republicans who earlier this week voiced concerns over the war in Iraq at a White House meeting.

“I reminded them that we ought to give [General] David Petraeus a chance,” Bush said. “I did explain to them that General Petraeus has said he’s going to come back and report to the secretary and the Joint Chiefs and the White House and the Congress about whether or not the strategy that he thinks could work is working. And at that point in time, we will respond accordingly.”

Despite rebuking Democratic leaders on the staggered funding approach, Bush also indicated that including benchmarks in an Iraq appropriations bill is an area of common ground.

“It makes sense to have benchmarks as a part of our discussion on how to go forward,” the president said, adding that his chief of staff, Joshua Bolten, is engaged in discussions with Congress to find benchmarks upon which both sides can agree.