Gingrich: Bush Has Chance to Change Course in Iraq

June 13, 2006 — -- As President Bush's two-day summit on Iraq draws to a close, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich says the president has a key opportunity to change the course of the war in the country and perhaps win pubic support at home.

"I'm somewhat uncertain about really what the president and the administration is trying to do at Camp David," said Gingrich, who sits on the Defense Policy Board, a civilian advisory panel at the Pentagon. "Are they really changing anything that we're doing in Iraq? Or is this designed basically to shore up and win public support."

Gingrich's comments came as Bush made a surprise visit to Iraq today to meet newly named Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and discuss the next steps in the war. Most of the White House press was unaware of the trip and only a handful of aides knew about it.