Congress unlikely to send Bush war money until early next year

Congress will likely hold off on sending President George W. Bush money for Iraq until early next year, pushing the Pentagon to the brink of an accounting nightmare and deepening Democrats' conflict with the White House on the war.

Democrats say the tough approach is needed.

"Everybody knows that the president is stuck in his place, a place where he wants a 10-year war," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat.

This week, the House passed, 218-203, a $50 billion (euro34 billion) bill that would pay for combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan but require that troops start coming home. The measure sets a goal of ending combat by …