WASHINGTON, November 15, SPA -- Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives pushed through a $50 billion (¤34 billion) Iraq war bill that would require President George W. Bush to start bringing troops home in coming weeks with a goalof ending combat by December 2008. The legislation was passed 218-203 on Wednesday night «The fact is, we can no longer sustain the militarydeployment in Iraq,» said Democratic House Speaker NancyPelosi. «Staying there in the manner that we are there isno longer an option.» The White House pledged to veto the bill, and Republicanssaid they would back the president. «These votes, like the dozens of previous failed votes,put the interests of radical interest groups ahead of theneeds of our military and their mission,» anadministration statement said. The bill represents about a quarter of the $196 billion(¤133 billion) Bush requested for combat operations in the2008 budget year, which began Oct 1, the Associated Press reported. It would compel an unspecified number of troops to leaveIraq within 30 days, a requirement Bush is already on trackto meet as he begins in coming weeks to reverse the 30,000troop buildup he ordered earlier this year. It also sets agoal of ending combat by Dec. 15, 2008, and states thatmoney included in the bill should be used to redeploytroops and «not to extend or prolong the war.»--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/500061