By NNN-KUNA
Washington : US President George W. Bush on Saturday stopped short of saying whether he would accept a compromise over the funding of US troops in Iraq, and pressed for providing the money as soon as possible.
“In this time of war, our elected officials have no higher responsibility than to provide these troops with the funds and flexibility they need to prevail,” Bush said.
His remarks came days after his vetoed a 124-billion-dollar bill passed by the Democrats-controlled Congress that set a timetable for US troop withdrawal from Iraq.
A day he vetoed the bill, the US President brought congressional leaders from both parties to the White House to discuss how to come up with an agreement to fund the troops without a deadline for the troops withdrawal.
In his weekly radio address, President Bush termed the meeting as “positive”, and praised the Democratic leaders for their willingness to find a way acceptable for both sides.
“It was a positive meeting. Democratic leaders assured me they are committed to funding our troops, and I told them I am committed to working with members of both parties to do just that,” he said.
Bush appointed top White House aides to discuss with lawmakers a revised bill he said would “quickly and give our troops the resources and flexibility they need.”
But he stopped short of accepting any modified bill putting more pressure on the Military commanders on ground, calling on Democrats to give the commanders and his new plan to send additional troops more time to work.
“Our troops are now carrying out a new strategy in Iraq under the leadership of a new commander. The goal of the new strategy is to help the Iraqis secure their capital, so they can make progress toward reconciliation and build a free nation that respects the rights of its people, upholds the rule of law, and fights extremists alongside the United States in the war on terror.
“This strategy is still in its early stages, and Congress needs to give (the) plan a chance to work,” he said.
He warned that failure in oil-rich Iraq would give extremists the ground they need to control Iraq, and the resources to expand their operations, calling on Democrats to act more responsibly in time of war.
“If radicals and terrorists emerge from this battle with control of Iraq, they would have control of a nation with massive oil reserves, which they could use to fund their dangerous ambitions and spread their influence.
“No responsible leader in Washington has an interest in letting that happen. I call on Congress to work with my Administration and quickly craft a responsible war spending bill,” he said.