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| Bush meets top advisers over Iraq | |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| US President George W Bush has been meeting senior advisers at his Texas ranch as he builds a new Iraq strategy. | |
| Those attending included the vice president, defence secretary, secretary of state, chair of the joint chiefs of staff and national security adviser. | |
| Mr Bush was to make a statement to reporters at about 1230 EST (1730 GMT), the White House said. | |
| The US has already announced this week that it will send up to 3,300 soldiers to the Gulf in early January. | The US has already announced this week that it will send up to 3,300 soldiers to the Gulf in early January. |
| That decision follows a recent report commissioned by the White House, which urged a temporary build-up of troops to quell increasing violence in Iraq. | That decision follows a recent report commissioned by the White House, which urged a temporary build-up of troops to quell increasing violence in Iraq. |
| It is not yet known which other recommendations from the report by the Iraq Study Group the president intends to adopt. | It is not yet known which other recommendations from the report by the Iraq Study Group the president intends to adopt. |
| Among dozens of suggestions, it urged dialogue with Iran and Syria - which has already been rejected. | Among dozens of suggestions, it urged dialogue with Iran and Syria - which has already been rejected. |
| ISG REPORT - KEY POINTS Primary mission of US forces should evolve to one of supporting Iraqi armyBy first quarter of 2008... all combat brigades not necessary for force protection could be out of Iraq US must not make open-ended commitment to keep large numbers of American troops deployed in Iraq Source: ISG report Iraq Study Group Report [1.72MB] Most computers will open this document automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader Download the reader here | ISG REPORT - KEY POINTS Primary mission of US forces should evolve to one of supporting Iraqi armyBy first quarter of 2008... all combat brigades not necessary for force protection could be out of Iraq US must not make open-ended commitment to keep large numbers of American troops deployed in Iraq Source: ISG report Iraq Study Group Report [1.72MB] Most computers will open this document automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader Download the reader here |
| Thursday's talks have been described as "a non decision-making meeting". | |
| However, a presidential speech is expected early in the New Year when Mr Bush will lay out his vision of the way forward in Iraq. | |
| The war in Iraq has been described as one of the main reasons Republicans lost control of Congress in November's mid-term elections. | |
| The president last week conceded that the US was not winning in Iraq. | |
| "He understands that the American people are, rightfully, very concerned about what is going on in Iraq - as is the president," deputy White House press secretary Scott Stanzel said on Wednesday. | |
| He also stressed that Mr Bush was taking time to weigh all options before making a decision. | |
| In recent months, attacks on US and Iraqi troops, as well as civilians, have reached their highest level since power was handed over to an interim Iraqi government in June 2004. | In recent months, attacks on US and Iraqi troops, as well as civilians, have reached their highest level since power was handed over to an interim Iraqi government in June 2004. |
| There are about 140,000 troops currently posted in Iraq, with a reserve force kept in neighbouring Kuwait for speedy deployment. |