US House votes to withdraw troops from Iraq by April

The Democratic-controlled House voted 223-201 to set dates for pulling US troops out of the unpopular conflict. Previous measures have not succeeded in the Senate or have been vetoed by Bush, who refuses to set any deadlines for ending the American combat role.

 The measure was attached to a military spending authorization bill. Bush had said earlier Thursday he will not accept legislation with timetables, warning that a precipitous pullout irrespective of conditions on the ground would open the door for increased violence in Iraq.

 The House bill came hours after a White House report that concluded the Iraqi government has failed to meet half of the benchmarks outlined by Congress earlier this year, including a law to share oil revenue among Iraq's rival ethnic and religious groups and has not taken adequate steps toward national reconciliation.

 The Senate is expected to take up a similar measure next week, but the prospects of it passing are less likely because the Democrats control only a slim majority.//dpa