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| Bush visits US troops in Kuwait | Bush visits US troops in Kuwait |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| US President George W Bush is meeting some of the 15,000 American troops based in Kuwait, as the focus of his Middle East tour turns to Iraq. | US President George W Bush is meeting some of the 15,000 American troops based in Kuwait, as the focus of his Middle East tour turns to Iraq. |
| Earlier Mr Bush was briefed by the commander of US forces in Iraq, General David Petraeus. | Earlier Mr Bush was briefed by the commander of US forces in Iraq, General David Petraeus. |
| He said hope was returning to Iraq following the increase in US troop levels there last year. | |
| On Friday Mr Bush met Kuwait's Emir, Sheikh Sabah, after two days of talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders. | |
| Correspondents say he is trying to persuade some of his key Arab allies to support his Middle East peace initiative. | |
| 'Hope returning' | |
| Mr Bush met Gen Petraeus and Ryan Crocker, the US ambassador in Iraq, at a command centre at the US base at Arifjan, where an intelligence team monitors developments on the ground in Afghanistan, the Middle East and the Horn of Africa. | Mr Bush met Gen Petraeus and Ryan Crocker, the US ambassador in Iraq, at a command centre at the US base at Arifjan, where an intelligence team monitors developments on the ground in Afghanistan, the Middle East and the Horn of Africa. |
| Gen Petraeus and Mr Crocker were expected to brief the president on the improving security situation in Iraq. There's a good chance for peace and I want to help you George W Bush Call for Palestinian freedomMiddle East tour diary | Gen Petraeus and Mr Crocker were expected to brief the president on the improving security situation in Iraq. There's a good chance for peace and I want to help you George W Bush Call for Palestinian freedomMiddle East tour diary |
| Mr Bush said that after last year's troop surge in Iraq hope was now returning. | |
| "We must do all we can to ensure that 2008 will bring even greater progress," he said. | |
| No decision would be taken on bringing troops home, he said, adding that any reduction of troop levels would depend on conditions on the ground and it was up to Gen Petraeus to decide whether this was possible. | |
| Gen Petraeus is due to brief the president again in March. | |
| After rounding off his first trip as president to Israel and the West Bank, Mr Bush held talks with Sheikh Sabah, in Kuwait city. | After rounding off his first trip as president to Israel and the West Bank, Mr Bush held talks with Sheikh Sabah, in Kuwait city. |
| The US president will continue to Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. | The US president will continue to Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. |
| Iran factor | |
| His aim is to encourage them to back Mahmoud Abbas as the Palestinian president negotiates with the Israelis. | His aim is to encourage them to back Mahmoud Abbas as the Palestinian president negotiates with the Israelis. |
| This is phase two of what many regard as "mission impossible", the BBC's Matthew Price reports from Kuwait City. | This is phase two of what many regard as "mission impossible", the BBC's Matthew Price reports from Kuwait City. |
| Mr Bush hopes to encourage states like Kuwait to start a process of reaching out to Israel but even before the president landed, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was telling journalists not to expect any breakthrough. | Mr Bush hopes to encourage states like Kuwait to start a process of reaching out to Israel but even before the president landed, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was telling journalists not to expect any breakthrough. |
| One problem, our correspondent notes, is that what concerns Gulf states like Kuwait the most is not the Israeli-Palestinian issue, but Iran and Washington's intentions towards it. | One problem, our correspondent notes, is that what concerns Gulf states like Kuwait the most is not the Israeli-Palestinian issue, but Iran and Washington's intentions towards it. |
| Gulf leaders will be telling Mr Bush they want the stand-off resolved peacefully, not through military means, our correspondent says. | Gulf leaders will be telling Mr Bush they want the stand-off resolved peacefully, not through military means, our correspondent says. |
| During his three-day tour of Israel and the West Bank, Mr Bush made what analysts described as some of the strongest statements to date on the need for peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians. | During his three-day tour of Israel and the West Bank, Mr Bush made what analysts described as some of the strongest statements to date on the need for peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians. |
| Calling for an end to the Israeli occupation of land seized in 1967, he said he believed a peace deal could be signed by the end of this year, Israel's 60th anniversary, before he leaves office in 2009. | Calling for an end to the Israeli occupation of land seized in 1967, he said he believed a peace deal could be signed by the end of this year, Israel's 60th anniversary, before he leaves office in 2009. |