Bush Bullish on Progress in Iraq
Top U.S. commanders are more cautious after security meeting in Kuwait.
Jan. 12, 2008— -- With security improving in Iraq, President Bush predicted victory today, but some of his senior leaders were more cautious about the prospects.
Bush told crowds of cheering troops at Camp Arfijan, Kuwait exactly what they wanted to hear.
"There is no doubt in my mind when history is written, the final page will say, 'Victory was achieved by the United States of America for the good of the world,'" he told the troops.
The remarks came after an hour-long meeting with his national security team, the top commander in Iraq Gen. David Petraeus and Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker.
"The president has had and maintained a vision for Iraq which has brought us to where we are today, which is an immeasurably better place then we were a year ago when he announced a new strategy," Crocker said.
ABC News Senior Correspondent Martha Raddatz spoke to Petraeus and Crocker about their views on whether progress is being made shortly after they spoke to the president and asked about prospects for further drawdowns.
"We have begun looking at alternative futures beyond July to see what could the timing and pace of possible future [troop] reductions be," Petraeus said.
After speaking to the troops at Camp Arifjan, Bush told reporters it is "fine with me" if generals recommend no more cuts than those planned to drop the force level to about 130,000.
He said he will rely on Petraeus and Crocker, who are scheduled to update Congress on the situation in Iraq in March, to make a recommendation about troop levels "based upon success."
"My attitude is, if [Petraeus] didn't want to continue the drawdown, that's fine with me, in order to make sure we succeed, see," Bush told reporters. "I said to the general, 'If you want to slow her down, fine. It's up to you.'"
After a report from Petraeus and Crocker in September, Bush announced he would withdraw some troops from Iraq by July -- essentially the 30,000 sent as part of the "surge" ordered a year ago -- but still keep the U.S. level there at about 130,000.
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