Washington, March 29 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Senate on Thursday passed a bill that would require President George W. Bush to bring all combat troops home from Iraq within a year. On a 51-to-47 vote, Democrats narrowly pushed through the 122-billion-U.S. dollar war funding bill, which includes a timeline to pull out all U.S. combat troops by March 31, 2008.

The House passed a similar measure a week ago, which would require the president to bring most combat troops home by September 2008.

The Senate and House bills must now be reconciled through negotiations between the chambers.

Meanwhile, Bush renewed his pledge to veto any measure "that restricts our commanders on the ground in Iraq."

"We expect there to be no strings on our commanders," he said, asserting again that both the House and Senate bills have unnecessary spending tucked into their language.

Democrats have said they were ready to begin House-Senate negotiations quickly to produce a final version to send to the president.

But with Congress scheduled to begin its Easter recess on Friday, it is nearly impossible for lawmakers to produce a final bill before the week of April 16.

With Bush warning that funds will run out on April 15, forcing the Pentagon to draw from other accounts, the two sides seem certain to wind up in a blame game over who is responsible for holding up the money.

The Democratic leaders are reportedly trying to strike a conciliatory tone, stressing that they would deliver all the money Bush requested.

In a joint letter to the president, they said they stood ready to work with the White House.

"But your threats to veto a bill that has not even been presented to you indicate that you may not be ready to work with us," the letter said.

While they are hoping to capitalize on Bush"s unpopularity, Democrats acknowledged privately that they were uncertain how the finger-pointing would play out.

Some recalled President Clinton"s success in putting the blame on Republicans for a 1995 government shutdown.

Nevertheless, the bill represents the Senate"s first, bold challenge on Bush"s Iraq policies since Democrats took control of Congress in January.

It came at a time when Bush and the Democrats are already deadlocked over the Democrats" demands for testimony from top White House staff in an investigation of the firings of 8 federal attorneys.

And the president"s threat of vetoing Iraq timeline, put himself in a difficult position of fighting the Democrats on two fronts.

Meanwhile, Democrats also admitted that even with the unpopularity of Bush"s war policy, they must move with caution.

"The president does have leverage on the troops," said Congressman Rahm Emanuel, a Democrat.

"But we have leverage on the policy and he has to be cognizant of that," he said.

Source: 03/30/2007 Xinhua