IRAQ - US Politics.

The Democrats in the US are looking for a showdown with President Bush over his handling of the Iraq war. But Bush officials have pointed out that the challenges to the US in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere in the Middle East were too great for them to be treated in Washington as being part of domestic American politics. An immediate challenge was the "Islamic state" al-Qaeda in late 2006 claimed to have set up in Iraq's Sunni Arab Triangle - a claim made by Neo-Salafis, by far the most fanatic and most violent strain of Sunni Islam (see Part 18 in sbme2-IraqinUSpoliticsFeb26-07, and fap3-Iraq-QaedaBaseMar12-07).

The US Senate on March 15 rejected a Democratic resolution to withdraw most US combat troops from Iraq in 2008. A similar measure advanced in the House and Democratic leaders on March 23 vowed to keep challenging Bush to change course in Iraq and withdraw by August 2008; but Bush later said he will veto their resolution.

The Senate on March 15 also voted overwhelmingly in favour of two non-binding resolutions, one Democratic and one Republican, expressing support for the troops in Iraq and pledging to provide them with all necessary funds. Republicans had asserted that Democratic policies to end the war was to eventually lead to a funding cut that would harm the troops. Democrats furiously denied that charge.