Senator (Hutchison) : Bush plans Iraq troop surge (9pm Wed on TV)

[rodeodance]

Senator: Bush plans Iraq troop surge By JENNIFER LOVEN, Associated Press Writer
2 minutes ago

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070108/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_iraq

WASHINGTON - President Bush will call for sending more American troops to Iraq to calm two troubled areas — Baghdad, where sectarian violence flares daily, and the western Anbar Province, a base of the most Sunni insurgency, a Republican senator said Monday.

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (news, bio, voting record) of Texas, one of about 30 lawmakers to discuss Iraq with Bush at the White House on Monday, said the president offered no specifics on how many extra U.S. troops would be involved. The White House remained mum on the specifics of Bush's revamped strategy for the nearly four-year-old war, saying he would announce them during a speech to the nation at 9 p.m. EST Wednesday.

"There will be surge in those two (areas), but it wasn't clear how much," Hutchison said. White House officials privately did not dispute her remarks.

According to Sen. Gordon Smith (news, bio, voting record), R-Ore., Bush told the senators that Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki presented him with the plan for a U.S. troop increase several weeks ago when they met in Jordan. Bush indicated to the lawmakers he was willing to send more troops because the Iraqis were willing to meet certain criteria.
.............

http://news.yahoo.com/i/693

Bush to unveil new plans for Iraq war
AP - 1 hour, 53 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - President Bush will address the nation at 9 p.m. EST Wednesday about his new approach for the war in Iraq, the White House said. Bush is expected to announce an increase of up to 20,000 additional U.S. troops.