US lawmakers push for Iraq pullout

Representative Walter Jones, a conservative Republican from North Carolina, joined Democratic representatives Neil Abercrombie of Hawaii and Dennis Kucinich of Ohio, and fellow Republican Ron Paul to propose Congress require Bush to announce by the end of this year a plan to begin withdrawing US troops from Iraq in October 2006.

"No one is talking about cutting and running," Jones said. "We're giving the American people now a vehicle for discussion. Isn't that the way America should work?"

The four lawmakers said their bill was carefully drafted to end more than two years of bitter political disputes over Iraq, and to be in line with Bush administration policies for restoring security and democracy in that country.

"This is not a Democratic approach or a Republican approach. This is a congressional approach," said Kucinich, who fiercely opposed the war as a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination last year.

"This is really the time to begin to heal the nation."

A similar resolution was introduced Wednesday in the Senate by Democratic Senator Russ Feingold of Wisconsin.

White House spokesman Scott McClellan immediately rejected setting a timetable for withdrawal, saying it would only encourage those who want to see the United States fail in Iraq.

"It would be absolutely the wrong message to send to set some sort of artificial timetable. That would be the wrong message to send to the terrorists. It would be the wrong message to send to the Iraqi people. And it would be the wrong message to send to our troops," he said.

But he and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice expressed concern about declining public support for the war, suggesting the administration could make a better case for US efforts.

"This is hard work. And it is work that requires that we, as Americans, reach down in ourselves and look for the kind of patience and generosity that we have exhibited in the past and understanding that democracy takes time," Rice said.