Bush Launches PR Campaign for Iraq Policy

2 hours ago Listen to Audio

By SCOTT LINDLAW, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - President Bush, campaigning to counter rising criticism about Iraq, is praising postwar developments there as he thanks military reservists straining under long overseas deployments.

Bush's pep talk to the weekend warriors Thursday was to be the opening leg in a long day that had him shuttling north to New England to speak to troops and talk up the economy, then southwest to Kentucky to raise money for a Republican locked in a tight gubernatorial contest.

As of Wednesday, 166,046 National Guard members and reservists were on active duty, mostly deployed to hot spots in the war on terror like Iraq and Afghanistan. Bush was saluting members of the New Hampshire Air National Guard, Army National Guard and reservists Thursday morning in Portsmouth, N.H.

The reluctance of U.S. allies to send more troops to Iraq has caused greater pressure on members of the National Guard and reserve units. Pentagon officials say they may have to activate thousands more reserve troops in coming weeks to augment troops in Iraq.

More...