U.S. Democratic leaders have coalesced around legislation that will call for troops to pull out of Iraq within six months if U.S. President George W. Bush fails to fulfil promises to help reduce violence in the war-torn country.

The plan would keep hold of an earlier Democratic proposal prohibiting the deployment of troops to Iraq with insufficient rest or training.

The proposal was the latest attempt by Democrats to resolve deep divisions within the party on how far to go to reduce U.S. involvement in Iraq.

Rep. James Moran had earlier said the latest version had the support of Democratic Party leadership, adding he believed it had the best chance at attracting broad support.

"We're going to report out a war spending bill that's responsive to the will of the U.S. voters and brings our troops home as soon and safely as possible," Moran said.

Moran, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives' committee that oversees military spending, said the plan was discussed in a closed-door meeting of committee Democrats on Thursday.

MB/HAR