Bush to Hold Iraq Strategy Call With Senior Commanders

The White House said Friday that President George W. Bush would conduct a teleconference Saturday with senior military leaders to discuss conditions in Iraq. Participants were expected to include General George Casey, the top commander in Iraq, and General John Abizaid, who oversees US forces across the Middle East.

Spokesman Tony Snow described the session as routine, saying it had been on the schedule for weeks and was unrelated to a recent rise in violence. Snow noted that Bush remains open to adjusting tactics as circumstances on the ground evolve.

October 2006 was shaping up as one of the costliest months for US forces since the March 2003 invasion. The mounting casualties have intensified calls for the administration to reconsider its approach to the conflict.

With congressional elections set for 7 November, Bush's Republican Party worried that public dissatisfaction with the war could cost it control of Congress to the opposition Democrats.

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