미국 백악관은 18일 부시 대통령이 이라크로부터 미군 철군 시한을 연기한 이라크 전비법안에 관한 민주당의 제안을 거부했습니다.
백악관의 조슈아 볼튼 비서실장은 철군시한이 연기된다고 해도 철군시한을 담은 법안은 적들과 미국의 동맹국들과 이라크 주둔 미군들에게 나쁜 메시지를 주게 될 것이라고 말했습니다.
볼튼 비서실장은 이라크 주둔 미군에 대한 전비지원에 관해 의회 중진의원들과 회담을 마친 후에 이같이 말했습니다.
부시 대통령은 앞서 미군의 철군시한을 담은 전비법안에 대해 거부권을 행사한 바 있습니다.
*****
The White House has rejected a proposal from Democratic lawmakers on Iraq war funding that would allow President Bush to waive a timetable for withdrawing U.S. troops.
White House Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten says having a bill that has a timetable, even if it could be waived, would send the wrong message to both adversaries and allies of the United States, and to U.S. troops in the field.
Bolten spoke after meeting on Capitol Hill with top lawmakers on funding military operations in Iraq. President Bush previously vetoed a spending bill that would have set an enforceable timetable for withdrawal.
Bolten expressed support for a proposal by the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, John Warner of Virginia, which would require President Bush to certify that progress has been made and that certain benchmarks have been met by the Iraqi government -- or face a cut-off of U.S. funds.
The Senate narrowly rejected the Warner amendment earlier this week.