FORT HOOD, Texas — President Bush, looking tired and somber yesterday after what he called a “tough week” for the U.S.-led campaign in Iraq, vowed to continue the fight against militant insurgents “trying to stop progress toward democracy.”
Asked whether he expected the violence in Iraq to ebb soon, the president said: “It’s hard to tell. I just know this, that we’re plenty tough and we’ll remain tough.”
An outbreak of fighting has left more than 50 American soldiers wounded or dead in the past week.
After attending Easter services at an Army base, the president said his top military commanders need only ask if they require more U.S. troops.
“I’ve spoken to General Abizaid twice in the last four or five days. He knows full well that when he speaks to me that if he needs additional manpower he can ask for it. He believes, like I believe, that this violence we’ve seen is part of a few people trying to stop progress toward democracy,” he said.
The top U.S. military commander in Iraq, Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, said the 129,000 troops on the ground are adequate.
“We clearly showed some weaknesses here in the last couple of weeks, and we are retackling the problem with greater intensity,” Gen. Sanchez told NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld has indicated that U.S. commanders want to hold that force level rather than reduce it to 115,000 troops as previously planned.
Mr. Bush is under intense pressure to secure U.S. troops and continue to move Iraq toward a transfer of power. Critics say he has not moved swiftly enough to stem the violence and is not willing to acknowledge that more troops are needed.
Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr., Delaware Democrat, said on CBS’ “Face the Nation” that troop strength in Iraq is inadequate and that international communities should be brought to the table. He said he has spoken with some European leaders, including French President Jacques Chirac, who are willing to send troops on the conditionthat they have equal input on the government’s reconstruction.
Sen. Pat Roberts, Kansas Republican and chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, appeared on CBS with Mr. Biden, and said it would be “a real breakthrough” if France sends troops.
Meanwhile, Sen. Bill Nelson, Florida Democrat, told CNN’s “Late Edition” that more U.S. troops should be sent to Iraq.
“We are there to continue to preserve the freedom of these people. … We have to be successful. Otherwise, Iraq is going to be convulsed into civil war. That’s going to lead to a vacuum. That vacuum is going to be filled by terrorists.”
Other Democrats want Mr. Bush to delay the June 30 turnover of sovereignty to an interim Iraqi government, but the president has said repeatedly that if he does so, the insurgents win.
“This violence we’ve seen is part of a few people trying to stop progress toward democracy,” Mr. Bush said.
In the brief session with reporters, Mr. Bush did not address reports that Iraqi rebels were holding at least one American hostage and threatening execution.
The president attended Easter services with first lady Laura Bush. Also in attendance were their daughters, the president’s parents and National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice.
Mr. Bush praised troops who are under fire in Iraq, which has seen a spike in fighting as the June 30 deadline approaches.
“Our troops are taking care of business. Their job is to make Iraq more secure, so that a peaceful Iraq can emerge,” he said. “And they’re doing a great job.”
The United States yesterday asked insurgents in Fallujah, where some of the fiercest fighting has occurred, to stop firing on U.S. troops.
“We haven’t imposed any terms at the moment. We’re just trying to get a cease-fire in place and we have asked the insurgents to stop attacking the Marines,” U.S. Administrator L. Paul Bremer said on ABC’s “This Week.”
Once the attacks stop, he said, a delegation from the Governing Council will intervene.
Fallujah has been an anti-American stronghold since Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein was toppled. The city of 200,000 erupted in violence last month after four American security contractors were killed and their bodies burned, mutilated and dragged through the streets.
• Staff writer Audrey Hudson in Washington contributed to this story.
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