[JURIST] US President George W. Bush Tuesday vetoed [White House remarks; recorded video] a bill that would have provided $122 billion to pay for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan [JURIST news archives] but would have also required US troops to start pulling out of Iraq within four months. Bush has previously promised to veto any proposed legislation that included a timetable for a troop withdrawal from Iraq, arguing that such a schedule would hamper soldiers in the field and encourage enemies of the US.

Senate Democrats criticized Bush's decision, saying that the veto denied troops vitally important funding. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid [official website] said in a statement [text]: "A bipartisan majority of Congress sent the President a bill to fully fund our troops and change the mission in Iraq. The president refused to sign it. That is his right, but now he has an obligation to explain his plan to responsibly end this war." Bloomberg has more.