US Senate wants Iraq troops out by March 2008

WASHINGTON: Democrats in the US Senate on Thursday unveiled a plan to get all US combat troops out of Iraq by the end of March 2008, in their latest attempt to block President George W. Bush's war strategy.   

"The President's strategy in Iraq is not working, and Congress must decide whether to follow his failed policies or whether to change course," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.   

The joint resolution contains binding language requiring the president to begin a phased redeployment from Iraq within 120 days with the goal of completing the withdrawal of combat troops by March 31, 2008.   

Democratic Senators announced their plans hours after colleagues in the House of Representatives unveiled their own challenge to Bush's plan to surge extra troops into Iraq, which would see a redeployment completed by September 2008.   

The White House immediately said it would veto any such bill.