BOGOR, Indonesia – President Bush said Monday he isn’t ready to decide between rival calls to increase or scale back U.S. troops in Iraq. Unruffled by street protests against his policy, he said they were a healthy sign of democracy in this Muslim nation.
Facing growing disapproval at home for the Iraq war, Bush heard no criticism or demands for troop cuts from Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. The Indonesian leader said the “global community must be also responsible in solving the problems in Iraq” along with the United States.
Awaiting the results of a Pentagon review and recommendations from a special commission exploring Iraq options, Bush refused to tip his hand about any change in the level of American forces in Iraq, now at more than 140,000.
In the U.S., the Republican chairman of the House Armed Services Committee said more Iraqi troops should be pushed to the front lines. “We need to saddle those up and deploy them to the fight,” primarily in Baghdad, said Rep. Duncan Hunter of California.
Prominent Democrats have called for a timetable for troop withdrawals. Some Republicans – notably potential Republican presidential candidate John McCain – are urging a heavy buildup of forces to quell the violence in Baghdad.
“I haven’t made any decisions about troop increases or troop decreases, and won’t until I hear from a variety of sources,” Bush said, standing alongside Yudhoyono at a news conference in the presidential palace.
Asked specifically whether there were any risks in increasing U.S. troops, Bush said, “There’s no need to comment on something that may not happen. But if it were to happen, I will tell you the upsides and downside.”
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