Bush raises the stakes

President Bush challenged Congress Monday to approve more money for the war in Iraq before leaving Washington for the holidays, setting up the prospect that he may call for a special session to force lawmakers to allocate those funds.

"It's unconscienable to deny funds to our troops in harm's way because some in Congress want to force a self-defeating policy, especially when we're seeing the benefits of success," Bush said at a Monday morning news conference in the White House Rose Garden.

His comments represent a little bit of legislative brinksmanship the day before members return to Washington for what promises to be a frenzied December session.

The president warned Congress that the Army would run out of money in March and the Pentagon would have to lay-off as many as 100,000 non-military support personnel to save money for the military effort.

Democrats and other outside budget groups have disputed those fiscal projections in the past, arguing the Department of Defense has the money necessary if officials re-allocate it properly.

Bush was clearly trying to capitalize, in part, on comments various Democrats made last week acknowledging the escalation of U.S. troops in Iraq over the summer has helped quell violence in the war-torn country, particularly those remarks by Pennsylvania Rep. John Murtha, a prominent critic of the war who also controls the Pentagon's budget.

"We changed our strategy and now even many of those who initially opposed the surge acknowledge that it is achieving results," Bush said. "It is time for members of Congress to meet their responsibility to our men and women in uniform, and they should stay in session until they pass these emergency funds for our troops."

Democrats quickly denounced the president's remarks.

“A sagging economy has left American families struggling on the homefront while thousands of American troops are risking their lives on the battlefront," said House Democratic Caucus Chairman Rahm Emanuel (Ill.). "This morning, the President called on Congress to approve plans for more the same. The status quo might be acceptable to the President, but this Congress will insist on a new direction.”

The Democratically-controlled Congress has a heavy slate of legislation to complete before wrapping up its business for the year, and Bush pressed on lawmakers to complete an update of the electronic surveillance law that expires in February, pass their remaining spending bills for the year and approve legislation to save millions of Americans from the alternative minimum tax before leaving town later this month.