Bush, in speech Wednesday, to propose more U.S. troops in Iraq

Monday, January 8th 2007, 9:34 am

By: News On 6

WASHINGTON (AP) _ President Bush will call for sending more American troops to Iraq to calm two troubled areas _ Baghdad, where sectarian violence flares daily, and the western Anbar Province, a base of the Sunni insurgency, a Republican senator said Monday.

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas, one of about 30 lawmakers to discuss Iraq with Bush at the White House on Monday, said the president offered no specifics on how many extra U.S. troops would be involved. The White House remained mum on the specifics of Bush's revamped strategy for the nearly four-year-old war, saying he would announce them during a speech to the nation at 9 p.m. EST Wednesday.

"There will be surge in those two (areas), but it wasn't clear how much," Hutchison said. White House officials privately did not dispute her remarks.

According to Sen. Gordon Smith, R-Ore., Bush told the senators that Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki presented him with the plan for a U.S. troop increase several weeks ago when they met in Jordan. Bush indicated to the lawmakers he was willing to send more troops because the Iraqis were willing to meet certain criteria.

Smith said the president only hypothetically discussed increasing troop numbers by specific amounts, "but it was clear to me a decision has been made for 20,000 additional troops."

There are about 140,000 troops in Iraq now.

Military officials have said Bush is considering sending two to five more brigades _ between about 8,000 and 20,000 troops _ to Iraq, to fight alongside promised additions of Iraqi security forces as well. Some military officials familiar with the discussions say the president could initially dispatch 8,000 to 10,000 new troops to Baghdad, and possibly to troubled Anbar Province, and leave himself the option of sending more later.

The White House, meanwhile, pushed back against widespread criticism _ from Democrats and Republicans as well as military leaders _ of such an escalation in the U.S. military presence.

Presidential spokesman Tony Snow noted some military officials have said that a troop increase, done right, could help calm violence-torn Baghdad and other trouble spots, and bring the day closer when Iraq would be stable enough for the U.S. military presence to end. Snow also asserted that Bush's "way forward" will include political, diplomatic and economic components that will answer many critics' concerns.

"I think what you have to do is to take a look at the whole package and how it fits together," Snow said. "What will happen is that, when the president's plan becomes known in detail, then people will be able to talk sensibly."

Now in its fourth year, the war has claimed the lives of more than 3,000 members of the U.S. military and was a major factor in Bush's Republican party losing control of Congress in the November election. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., told the president in a letter last week that "we do not believe that adding more U.S. combat troops contributes to success."

Some leading Republicans have echoed those concerns, as have top military officials who worry that sending more troops would overly strain the armed forces without assurances of success.

After more than two months of deliberation, Bush chose Wednesday as the day to announce his new Iraq plan. His speech, for which the White House requested airtime from all major broadcast networks, will run about 25 minutes, Snow said.

An intense campaign for the plan's rollout is to continue the next day.

After a White House ceremony giving the Medal of Honor to Marine Cpl. Jason Dunham of Scio, N.Y., the president will travel to Fort Benning, Ga., Thursday to talk with soldiers. Also Thursday, White House officials will be holding detailed briefings for reporters and lawmakers.

But the changed political reality in Washington will deny the White House complete message control.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice are due on Capitol Hill on Thursday for tough questioning on the president's Iraq policies at hearings convened by the newly-in-charge Democrats.

In addition to the troop increase, Bush is likely to call for the Shiite-led Iraqi government to take certain steps, such as reining in Shiite militias that have terrorized the Sunni minority, particularly in Baghdad. Bush also wants the Iraqi leadership to make the political process more attractive to Sunnis by enacting a plan to distribute oil revenues and easing the government's policies toward members of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein's Baath Party.

The military escalation is expected to be accompanied by short- and long-term jobs programs. Also on Bush's agenda is a renewed effort to jump-start Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

Bush will talk in broad terms about the cost of such efforts, with more specific budget numbers to be fleshed out later, Snow said.

Since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Congress has approved about $500 billion for Iraq, Afghanistan and other terrorism-fighting efforts. The White House is working on its largest-ever appeal for more war funds _ a record $100 billion, at least. It will be submitted along with Bush's Feb. 5 budget.

Many of the approaches Bush is expected to embrace are not new. A year ago, for example, he touted efforts to remake U.S. reconstruction programs to focus on smaller goals that make more of an immediate difference in everyday Iraqis' lives.

But the Bush administration hopes that by doing such things differently _ alongside an Iraqi government that, while still fragile, has matured _ they will meet with greater success.

Al-Maliki has been unable to deliver in the past when his government and the Bush administration agreed on benchmarks. The Iraqis also have failed to deliver promised numbers of troops to participate in previous efforts to improve security.

In all, Bush discussed the war with at least 30 members of Congress on Monday, mostly GOP members of the Armed Services, Appropriations and Foreign Relations committees _ after holding more bipartisan meetings on Friday with at least as many lawmakers.

Sen. Susan Collins, who recently returned from a trip to Iraq, said she remains deeply skeptical about any increase in troops.

"He certainly listened intently to what I said and what everyone said," said Collins, R-Maine.

Snow said the White House welcomes debate on Capitol Hill over the budget implications of the war, but will not seek specific congressional approval for Bush's new strategy.

But Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., said Congress should have a say. While Democratic leaders have indicated they are not considering cutting off funding for troops already in Iraq, Kennedy said lawmakers could prohibit any of the money authorizes for Iraq from being spent on a troop buildup.

"It's something that's under discussion," said Kennedy, like Collins a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.