Washington, April 27, 2007 - President George Bush has decided to veto a bill that  may require the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq by next spring, after the powerfully symbolic measure was passed yesterday by the Democrat-controlled Congress.

The move came as the US commander in Iraq, referring to the war, said: "This effort may get harder before it gets easier".

The Senate voted 51-46 to pass a funding bill that came with an attachment demanding the start of a troop withdrawal in October.

The House of Representatives passed a similar measure the previous day.
A spokeswoman for the White House, Dana Perino, said Mr Bush would "make good on his promise to veto the bill".