U.S. Senate approves bill to withdraw troops from Iraq

The U.S. Senate has voted to approve a bill which requires U.S. troops to start withdrawing from Iraq no later than October. A thin majority of 51 senators voted in favor, with 46 voting against.

The bill had been passed by the House of Representatives on Wednesday.

It creates a further $US 100 BLN in funding conditional on withdrawal planned for completion by April 2008.

President Bush has said he will veto the bill.

He says he remains committed to his so-called “surge” strategy of increasing U.S. troop numbers in Iraq.