[NYTr] Bush Insists US Troops Will Stay in Iraq

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

Prensa Latina, Havana
http://www.plenglish.com


Bush Insists US Troops Will Stay in Iraq

Baghdad, Sept 3 (Prensa Latina) US President George W. Bush repeated on
Monday that US troops will stay in Iraq and will be pulled out
partially when the situation in the country improves.

"Those decisions will be based on a calm assessment by our military
commanders on the conditions on the ground, not reaction by Washington
politicians to poll results in the media," the US president said.

"In other words, when we begin to draw down troops from Iraq, it will
be from a position of strength and success, not from the position of
fear and failure," he added.

Bush's statements were made during a surprise visit to the Al Assad air
base, in the western Iraqi province of Al Anbar, according to military
sources.

Speaking to the marines, the US president rejected growing pressure in
Congress to have the military forces withdrawn from Iraq immediately.

"The US troops helped to improve security in this nation and economic
and political achievements must be made now," he said, as he demanded
that the Nuri al Maliki government make achievements.

Recently, Bush defended Maliki's permanence as head of the Iraqi
government, as some US politicians accused him of incompetence in
performing his duties, due to the ungovernability and chaos that
prevails in Iraq.

The US president arrived in Iraq at a time when his strategic plans to
retain military control of the region have not succeeded as he promised
US public opinion.

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