By ANNE FLAHERTY, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - Republican and Democratic congressional leaders both forecast a change in
President Bush’s Iraq war policy as the president prepared to sign legislation Friday providing funds for military operations through Sept. 30.

“I think the president’s policy is going to begin to unravel now,” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who described the just-passed measure as a disappointment because it did not force an end to U.S. participation in the conflict.

At a separate news conference, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell predicted a change, and said Bush would show the way.

“I think the handwriting is on the wall that we are going in a different direction in the fall and I think the president is going to lead it,” he said.

McConnell said he expects Bush announce his intentions on his own timetable.

The legislation that cleared Congress late Thursday night marked the end of a struggle in which Bush rejected an earlier bill because it contained a troop withdrawal timetable.

The White House said it expected to receive the replacement measure Friday afternoon and that Bush would sign it - privately, with no fanfare other than a written announcement - as soon as it arrived from Capitol Hill.

Democrats say the fight is far from over.

“We’re going to keep coming back and coming back,” said Rep. Rahm Emanuel of Illinois, chairman of the Democratic caucus.

The war spending bill provides some $95 billion for the wars in Iraq and
Afghanistan and billions in domestic projects, including more than $6 billion for hurricane relief. The House voted 280-142 to pass the bill, followed by a 80-14 vote in the Senate.

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