By Tabassum Zakaria
WASHINGTON, April 28 (Reuters) - U.S. President George W. Bush said on Thursday that despite a violent insurgency, progress was being made in Iraq which just formed a new government, but he refused to set a timetable for withdrawing American troops.
"I believe we're making really good progress in Iraq," Bush said. "They saw a government form today. The Iraqi military is being trained by our military, and they're performing much better than the past."
Iraq formed its first democratically elected government in more than 50 years, ending three months of political stalemate that has hampered efforts to tackle violence.
Bush said he spoke to Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari earlier on Thursday and invited him to the United States.
"I told him I was proud of the fact that he's willing to stand up and lead. I told him I appreciate his courage and the courage of those who are willing to serve the Iraqi people in government," he said at an evening news conference.
The United States has reduced the number of troops in Iraq to 139,000 from 160,000, and the deployments have not stretched the armed forces too thin to operate elsewhere if needed, Bush said.
NO TIMETABLE
"I know there's a temptation to try to get me to lay out a timetable (for withdrawal)," Bush said. "I don't think it's wise for me to set out a timetable. All that will do is cause an enemy to adjust."
American troops would be pulled out of Iraq "as soon as possible," he said. "And as soon as possible depends upon the Iraqis being able to fight and do the job."
==============SNIP==============
So, in other words, he is ready to keep our troops mired in the killing fields of
Babylon til ALL our men and women are killed, in onesies and twosies...nickle and diming a nation out of the "best and brightest"...bringing them home in body bags
and disabled.
Way to go BUSHY....and, you were never "in country" during 'Nam were you?