Reply #20: Bush 'encouraged' despite report on Iraqi troops

[rodeodance]

Bush 'encouraged' despite report on Iraqi troops
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051001/pl_nm/iraq_bush_dc;_ylt=An87qG41dYKYZdN2F0ViEc2s0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3b2NibDltBHNlYwM3MTY
By Adam Entous Sat Oct 1,10:18 AM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -
.......

"I'm encouraged by the increasing size and capability of the Iraqi security forces. Today they have more than 100 battalions operating throughout the country, and our commanders report that the Iraqi forces are serving with increasing effectiveness," Bush said in his weekly radio address.

...... One of the few measures the Pentagon has offered the public to judge the capabilities of Iraqi security forces has been the number of battalions that can go into combat with insurgents without the help of the U.S. military.

During congressional testimony on Thursday, Gen. George Casey, top U.S. commander in Iraq, and Gen. John Abizaid, top U.S. commander in the Middle East, said the number of such battalions had dropped since July to one from three, out of the roughly 100 Iraqi battalions.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld sought to play down the new estimate on Friday, saying, "Its relevance is minimal."