Bush looks to reinforce US military in Iraq
George Bush addressed reporters at the White House this morning
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Wednesday, 20, Dec 2006 04:03
US president George Bush has said he believes additional troop deployments in Iraq will help the struggling country regain stability.
Addressing reporters at the White House this morning, the president said he would work with Congress to "strengthen our military" and "chart a new course in Iraq" but stopped short of making a direct pledge to increase troop numbers.
However he made clear his belief that reinforcing existing personnel was the best way to tackle both the growing insurgency against foreign troops and the escalating levels of sectarian violence between the Shia majority and Sunni minority of Muslims in Iraq.
"I'm inclined to believe that we need to increase the permanent size of both the US army and the US marines. I've asked… [US secretary of defence Robert] Gates to determine how such an increase could take place and have asked him to report back to me as quickly as possible," President Bush said.
His preference for an increased US commitment in Iraq flies in the face of the recommendations of the Iraq Study Group (ISG), which published its findings on December 6th. Chaired by former US secretary of state James Baker, the ISG said that US troops should be withdrawn from Iraq if the security situation does not improve.
"We enter the new year clear-eyed about the challenges in Iraq and equally clear about our purpose. Our goal remains a free and democratic Iraq that can govern itself, sustain itself and defend itself and is an ally in this war on terror," President Bush insisted today.
"I'm not going to make predictions about what 2007 will look like in Iraq, except that it's going to require difficult choices and additional sacrifices because the enemy is merciless and violent."
President Bush's announcement follows on the heels of the early departure of the man in charge of the US military's strategic control of the Middle East and north African region, General John Abizaid.
Gen Abizaid had been due to leave his post in charge of US central command in March but will now do so early next year.