By SPA
Washington : President George W. Bush met with top U.S. military commanders Wednesday to hear their recommendations on Iraq amid a growing consensus in favor of a “pause” in reducing the number of U.S. forces there, officials said.
The two-hour meeting at the Pentagon was the latest in a series of formal consultations that Bush has scheduled with U.S. military leaders this week on Iraq.
“The president, the commander-in-chief, will have a good idea of what his key military leaders feel in terms of where we’re at right now,” Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said, referring to this week’s meetings.
Tony Fratto, a White House spokesman, said Bush will have other opportunities to speak with military commanders, including General David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, before making a decision on U.S. troop levels in Iraq.
“I think he’ll have other opportunities to communicate with the joint chiefs and other military commanders also, and Secretary [of State Condoleezza] Rice, of course,” Fratto told reporters.