President George W. Bush used a White House press conference in late October 2006 to acknowledge widespread American frustration over the war in Iraq, admitting he too was dissatisfied with conditions there. October had become the deadliest month for U.S. troops in Iraq in a year, deepening anxiety among Republicans ahead of the 7 November congressional elections.
Bush said Baghdad had agreed to a schedule for addressing unresolved political issues, including militia disarmament, oil-revenue sharing, and constitutional reform. He described Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki as the right leader for Iraq but made clear that continued U.S. support depended on his willingness to make difficult decisions.
Tensions with Maliki were evident: U.S. forces had conducted a raid on a Shiite militia area in Baghdad without Iraqi government approval, drawing sharp objections from the prime minister, who insisted he would address militants on his own terms.
Bush declined to spell out consequences if the Iraqi government missed benchmarks or if full civil war erupted, calling both scenarios hypothetical. He also said any decisions about permanent U.S. military bases in Iraq would rest with the Iraqi government itself.
The president noted that tactics were being adjusted as conditions evolved, and said his administration would weigh proposals from a high-level review panel led by former Secretary of State James Baker.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in October 2006, in its own words.