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| Bush sees progress in Iraq, but warns to still expect violence |
| 2006-06-15 |
| Americans can expect steady progress in Iraq but it would be unrealistic to hope for "zero violence," President George W. Bush said on Wednesday after a surprise trip to Baghdad to bolster the new Iraqi government. Bush, facing weak public support for the war, offered a mostly upbeat assessment of the situation in Iraq but was cautious about prospects for reducing U.S. forces following the death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, leader of al Qaeda there. Standing in the White House Rose Garden and looking animated despite an overnight flight from Baghdad, Bush insisted U.S. troops will stay until Iraqis can secure their own country. "I made it very clear to the Iraqis -- and I'm going to make it clear to them again right here -- that we'll stay with them and help them succeed," said Bush, whose hopes for progress in Iraq got a boost with the killing of Zarqawi in a U.S. air strike last Wednesday. As U.S. and Iraqi forces launched a security crackdown in Baghdad, Bush tempered hopes for a quick end to a bloody insurgency that has raged since the 2003 invasion and claimed the lives of nearly 2,500 U.S. military personnel. "I hope there's not an expectation from people that all of a sudden there's going to be zero violence," Bush told a news conference. "That's not going to happen." |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #1 I expect some progress in LA, but because of the gangs, I still expect some violence as well. |
| Posted by: Flons Croque2804 2006-06-15 08:03 |