Senate votes for US troop withdrawal from Iraq by March 31, 2008

WASHINGTON, March 29 (RIA Novosti) - The U.S. Senate has adopted a budget bill envisioning a stage-by-stage withdrawal of all combat units of the U.S. Armed Forces from Iraq by March 31, 2008.

By 51 votes for and 47 against the senators backed the draft law for additional funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan worth $121.6 billion.

The bill also says the U.S. troops should not fulfill political functions in the civil war and that the current conflict in Iraq requires mainly a political resolution.

Last week, the demand for the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq was supported by the House of Representatives in the U.S. Congress.

President George Bush has said many times that he will veto any draft law demanding the withdrawal of troops from Iraq.

Speaking in Washington Wednesday, he warned that America cannot afford to be defeated in Iraq and that Congress should not impose any date for the withdrawal, as this will be catastrophic for the U.S.