The American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars national commanders called on Congress to approve President Bush's request for more than $100 billion to pay for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan this year without setting a withdrawal timetable. The two groups represent 5.1 million veterans and their families.

"The House has passed a blueprint for disaster and the Senate has passed a recipe for surrender, and we oppose both," said Paul A. Morin of the American Legion.

Gary Kurpius of the VFW said the congressional votes for the timetables show "America doesn't have the stomach for a long fight and that should be worrisome to our allies and to future generations of Americans."

"The time to debate the war is not in the funding bill that keeps our troops alive," Kurpius said.

The House passed a $124.3 billion spending bill on a 218-212 vote in March to continue military operations and fund some domestic programs, including $1.7 billion for the Veterans Affairs Department. The Senate voted 51-47 to approve a similar $123 billion spending bill.

Both bills, now undergoing final negotiations between the House and Senate, contain provisions calling for troops to be withdrawn no later than August 2008.

Bush has said he would veto any spending bill that sets a timetable for withdrawing troops.

Kurpius said mistakes have been made in Iraq, from deploying too few troops at the beginning of the war in 2002 to underestimating the level of violence between the Sunnis and Shiites.

"But there are finally signs of hope and progress in Iraq, all because of new leadership with a new plan of action — a plan that is totally dependent upon a funding package for the proper training, equipping and fielding of our forces," he said. "Our military can win in Iraq, but the opportunity is slipping away because some in Congress want to use the power of the purse as a means of public debate."

Referring to the violence in Iraq, Morin said, "This is not a civil war but a struggle for freedom, much like the one the United States faced when establishing its independence from England."

"Terrorists have growing reason to believe that America is losing its will to continue in Iraq and if they are patient, we will hand them victory," he said. "That's the message sent when our Congress approves timetables for withdrawal."

On the Web:

www.vfw.org, Veterans of Foreign Wars.

www.legion.org, The American Legion.