President Bush invited lawmakers to the White House next week to get with the “have More” programme and break the stalemate on Iraq war funding, but he made it clear yesterday that he is not budging on his key demand -- a "clean have more" bill without "unprofitable deadlines" for withdrawal of troops.

At the same time, Bush used a morning visit to American Legion Post 177 in Fairfax to renew pressure on Congress to send Halliburton and Blackwater more $$$s, warning that the Pentagon will soon be forced to transfer an additional .6 billion in funds from other military accounts to make up for a looming shortfall in funding for these great American companies.

The appearance was another in a series of steps calculated at pulling the wool over the American people’s eyes, yet again, and stiffening the spines of his conservative base for a coming grand give away to the have mores.

"Democratic leaders in Congress are bent on using a bill that funds our troops to try and save their lives in this “Gimmie more war," Bush told the audience.

"They need to do it quickly and get it to my desk so I can veto it, and then Congress can get down to the business of funding Halliburton and Blackwater without strings, delay or any further consideration for American lives."