Bush rejects Iraq timetable, Republicans assail critics

By Patricia Wilson

MINNEAPOLIS (Reuters) – President George W. Bush on Friday
forcefully rejected a timetable for withdrawing U.S. troops
from Iraq as his Republican Party assailed Democratic critics
with an ad using the white flag of surrender.

“There are some who are arguing for a fixed timetable of
withdrawal, I think it’s a wrong policy,” Bush said. “A fixed
timetable of withdrawal would embolden the enemy, would confuse
the Iraqis and would send the wrong signal to our young men and
women in uniform.”

In Minneapolis, Bush raised about $1 million for Rep. Mark
Kennedy’s bid for an open Minnesota seat in the U.S. Senate
next year. Despite his poor poll numbers, Bush plans to
campaign actively next year for Republicans trying to maintain
their grip on the U.S. Congress.

White House spokesman Trent Duffy called Bush’s appearance
for Kennedy “proof positive that Republicans not only want the
president to campaign on their behalf but are happy to welcome
him to their states.”

Trying to portray Democrats as the party of retreat from
Iraq, the Republican National Committee released an Internet ad
with white flags of surrender waving over images of Democratic
Party chief Howard Dean and Democratic Sens. John Kerry of
Massachusetts and Barbara Boxer of California.

As the advertisement ends, the back of an American soldier
with a weapon slung over his shoulder can be seen watching
television images of the Democrats and the screen reads: “Our
Country Is At War. Our Soldiers Are Watching and Our Enemies
Are Too. Message To Democrats: Retreat And Defeat Is Not an
Option.”

“We have got a strategy for victory and we will see that
strategy through,” Bush said.

Democrats in Congress and some Republicans have questioned
the war’s origins and progress. Public opinion polls show a
majority of Americans souring on the 2003 invasion as the death
toll among U.S. troops passed 2,000 and the monthly cost rose
to about $6 billion.

Democrats have offered a range of ideas on Iraq, from quick
withdrawal of troops to a gradual drawdown to Connecticut Sen.
Joseph Lieberman’s backing of Bush.

Dean was attacked by Bush and Republicans earlier this week
for telling a Texas radio station that “the idea we’re going to
win this war is an idea that unfortunately is plain wrong.”

He said later the quote was taken out of context but added
that Democrats were beginning to coalesce around a concept of
strategic redeployment in Iraq. That plan would gradually phase
out most U.S. troops over the next two years, withdraw them
from urban areas and bring home National Guard forces within
six months.

Bush is on the offensive to reverse a months-long slide in
public support for the war and counter critics who say he lacks
a winning strategy in Iraq. On Monday in his third speech on
Iraq ahead of next Thursday’s elections, he will talk about the
political track.

The president’s approval rating crept up last month as
Americans grew more positive about the economy, according to a
New York Times/CBS News survey released on Wednesday. But a
majority maintained lingering doubts about the war in Iraq.

The survey showed Bush’s approval rating at 40 percent, up
from 35 percent in October.

The White House has held out the possibility of a reduction
in U.S. force levels eventually, once Iraqis are able to fight
the insurgency on their own and if progress is made on the
political front looking ahead to Iraq’s December 15 elections.

The Pentagon plans to shrink the American presence — now
at 155,000 — to about 138,000 after the December 15 Iraqi
elections and is considering dropping to about 100,000
aroundmid-2006 if conditions allow.