Boehner Holds The Line For Bush

House Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) is quickly becoming the last line of defense for the White House in a standoff with congressional Democrats over keeping U.S. troops in Iraq.

With Senate Republicans publicly bucking the president's war plan, Boehner and House Republicans remain largely unified in their opposition to a withdrawal, even though many have expressed grave frustration with the White House since casting a series of votes earlier this year opposing an end of U.S. involvement.

Democrats will test that resolve this week when House members vote on a measure to force a speedy withdrawal that would require almost every soldier to be out of Iraq by April of next year.

During a closed-door session with his Republican colleagues, Boehner implored members to wait until September before reevaluating their own support for the war, according to aides in attendance. The minority leader reminded his Republican colleagues that they had already cast a number of tough votes in support of the president's plan and warned them that changing course now would only alienate supporters - and not convert opponents of the war.