Post by CMF Newsman on Jul 9, 2007 12:16:57 GMT -5
WASHINGTON (AFP) - The White House Monday refused to bend to mounting calls for Iraq troop withdrawals, despite a new Democratic assault over the war and an accelerating Republican rebellion.
President George W. Bush's spokesman said a report that the administration was engaged in an intense internal debate over a gradual withdrawal from Iraqi cities was "way ahead of the facts."
But the White House faced a new showdown over the war, as lawmakers returned to Washington after a week-long break, which saw fraying Republican support for Bush's troops surge strategy and more US combat deaths.
Spokesman Tony Snow said Bush had repeatedly said troop withdrawals were a goal and conditional on the situation in Iraq.
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