President Bush on Wednesday promised to announce a “new strategy” for Iraq soon, although he made clear he would not alter his fundamental opposition to any troop withdrawal before victory.
“In the days ahead, I will be addressing our nation about a new strategy to help the Iraqi people,” Bush wrote in an op-ed column published by The Wall Street Journal.
“Ultimately, Iraqis must resolve the most pressing issues facing them. We can’t do it for them,” he said. “But we can help Iraq defeat the extremists inside and outside of Iraq.”
White House Press Secretary Tony Snow refused to say whether Bush has decided to temporarily “surge” some 20,000 U.S. forces into Iraq to help the 140,000 already there. But Snow said there are not enough U.S. and Iraqi forces to defeat the insurgency.
“I think it is safe to say that there needs to be more in the way of forces within Baghdad,” he said. The spokesman conceded the failure of a plan that Bush touted last year to bring violence in the capital under control.
“The Baghdad security plan didn’t produce,” Snow said. “There was insufficient force to get the job done in terms of clearing, holding and rebuilding.”
Most Democrats favor a reduction, not an increase, in the number of U.S. forces in Iraq. Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wisc., planned to reintroduce legislation today that would call on Bush to redeploy troops within six months.
“The American people sent a strong message in November to fix the administration’s failed Iraq policy,” Feingold said. “So far, the administration has ignored that message and is considering sending more troops to Iraq — something that would run counter to our national security.”
Snow hinted that Bush, who has already delayed the unveiling of his new Iraq policy once, might do so again. He said the president, as a “courtesy,” would brief Congress in advance of delivering the speech, which has not yet been written.
“The president’s still working through the policy,” Snow said. “You know what the theme is? Victory. Winning.”
