Bush Defers to Commanders on Iraq Troop Levels

Speaking in Charlotte on 6 April 2006, President George W. Bush said he was prepared to adjust US troop levels in Iraq entirely on the advice of military commanders, whether that meant sending additional forces or reducing the current deployment.

Bush expressed full confidence in General George Casey, the coalition commander in Iraq, saying Casey's judgment would determine the path forward. "If he says he needs more troops, he'll get them," Bush said.

The president acknowledged that public debate over the war was understandable, but he drew a firm line against what he called the politicization of military decisions, contrasting his approach with what he described as interference during the Vietnam era.

Bush warned that withdrawing forces before the mission was completed would be a serious error, arguing such a move would embolden adversaries and send a damaging message to the US military.

Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in April 2006, in its own words.