White House rejects plan to limit Iraq troops

,At this point, the president has obligations as a commander in chief and he will go ahead and execute them', says Snow.

The White House has condemned any push to cap the number of US troops in Iraq and said that US President George W Bush would press ahead with his plan even if the US Congress opposes it.

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With Democrats calling for votes on the president's unpopular war strategy, Bush spokesman Tony Snow was asked whether congressional resolutions opposing the decision to send more troops to Iraq would affect his decision-making.

"Well, no," Snow told reporters on Wednesday. "At this point, the president has obligations as a commander in chief. And he will go ahead and execute them."

The spokesman also sharply criticised Democratic Senator Christopher Dodd's proposed legislation requiring congressional approval for any increase in US troops in Iraq, capping the number at 130,000.

"To tie one's hand in a time of war is a pretty extreme move," said Snow.

"What it does is something that no commander in chief I think would want to have, which is it binds the hands of the commander in chief and also the generals, and, frankly, also the troops on the ground, in terms of responding to situations and contingencies that may occur there," he said.