Bush Vows New Looks at Iraq Military Needs

By TERENCE HUNT

WASHINGTON – President Bush, facing political pressure to order troop cutbacks, said Tuesday he would make a fresh assessment about Iraq’s needs for U.S. military help now that a new government has taken office in Baghdad.

Bush also said Americans should not judge what’s happening in Iraq solely on the basis of the unrelenting violence. “It is a difficult task to stop suicide bombers,” Bush said at a news conference.

Bush said that “we’re making good progress” with the establishment of Iraq’s new unity government, even though some of its most important ministries have not been filled.

“We haven’t gotten to the point yet where the new government is sitting down with our commanders to come up with a joint way forward,” the president said. “However, having said that, this is a new chapter in our relationship. In other words, we’re now able to take a new assessment about the needs necessary for the Iraqis.”