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Bush Prays for a Drop in Iraq Casualties
Sun Apr 11, 6:38 PM ET Add White House - AP to My Yahoo!
By SCOTT LINDLAW, Associated Press Writer
FORT HOOD, Texas - President Bush (news - web sites) said on Easter Sunday he was praying for American casualties to ebb in Iraq (news - web sites), but he braced the public for more in a U.S.-led fight that he described as "right for the security of our country."
"It was a tough week last week," Bush said, speaking at an Army base that lost at least nine soldiers in recent days. Some 50 U.S. soldiers were killed in action in Iraq last week in addition to nearly 900 Iraqis.
Gunmen shot down a U.S. attack helicopter during fighting in western Baghdad Sunday, killing its two crew members.
"My prayers and thoughts are with those who paid the ultimate price for our security," he said.
Bush spoke to reporters after attending services at a chapel on Fort Hood. Dozens of wounded soldiers have returned for treatment at the Darnall Army Community Hospital; Bush visited 11 of them, awarding 10 Purple Heart medals.
Asked whether he expected the violence to abate soon, Bush said: "It's hard to tell. I know this, that we're plenty tough, and we'll remain tough."
"Obviously, every day I pray there is less casualty, but I know what we are doing in Iraq is right" Bush said. "It's right for long-term peace. It's right for the security of our country. And it's hard work."
The president said he will send more troops to Iraq if necessary.
Gen. John Abizaid, the overall commander of the Iraq war, "knows full well when he speaks to me, if he needs additional manpower, he can ask for it," Bush said.
Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, the top U.S. general in Iraq, said Sunday that 129,000 U.S. troops are in Iraq. Nearly 30,000 of them are from Fort Hood, the largest active-duty armored post in the military, said base spokesman James Wittmeyer.
Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld has said U.S. commanders want to hold that level for some time rather than reduce to 115,000, as previously planned.
Lawmakers from both parties said the increasing violence is an indication that more troops are needed.
"It's clear that we're stretched, and the Iraqi security are not prepared yet to fight and to turn back insurgents," Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told "Fox News Sunday."
Bush blamed the surging violence on "a few people trying to stop progress toward democracy."
"These incidents were basically thrust upon the innocent Iraqi people by gangs, violent gangs," he said.
"Today, on bended knee, I thanked the good Lord for protecting those of our troops overseas, and our coalition troops and innocent Iraqis," he said.
For a second straight year, three generations of the Bush family celebrated Easter at Fort Hood, making the 50-mile helicopter flight from his Crawford ranch. It was the president's first public appearance since he arrived for an Easter break on his ranch on April 5.
Accompanying the president on the half-day trip were his wife, mother-in-law, twin daughters and his parents.
They sat together in a semicircular pew inside the pyramid-shaped chapel, and took communion. National security adviser Condoleezza Rice (news - web sites) and deputy chief of staff Joe Hagin sat across aisle from the president's family, along with the commander of the base.
In his sermon, chaplain Maj. David Scheider compared Christ's crucifixion to cataclysmic events in American history, including the attack on Pearl Harbor and the assassination of President Kennedy. "For all of us in this room, except for some of the babies, we hold in common the memory of 9-11," he said. "Life as we wanted it to be is over."
"But God was already on the move, doing something new," Scheider said.
"Christianity is based on one historic event_ it happened Easter morning." Members of the congregation responded with cries of "Amen!"
For Easter dinner, the Bush family — joined by Rice — ate gingersnap and apricot-crusted ham; fresh mozzarella, tomato, and avocado chopped salad; green chili cheese grits souffle; asparagus; homemade yeast rolls; and lemon meringue pie.
Sun Apr 11, 6:38 PM ET Add White House - AP to My Yahoo!
By SCOTT LINDLAW, Associated Press Writer
FORT HOOD, Texas - President Bush (news - web sites) said on Easter Sunday he was praying for American casualties to ebb in Iraq (news - web sites), but he braced the public for more in a U.S.-led fight that he described as "right for the security of our country."
"It was a tough week last week," Bush said, speaking at an Army base that lost at least nine soldiers in recent days. Some 50 U.S. soldiers were killed in action in Iraq last week in addition to nearly 900 Iraqis.
Gunmen shot down a U.S. attack helicopter during fighting in western Baghdad Sunday, killing its two crew members.
"My prayers and thoughts are with those who paid the ultimate price for our security," he said.
Bush spoke to reporters after attending services at a chapel on Fort Hood. Dozens of wounded soldiers have returned for treatment at the Darnall Army Community Hospital; Bush visited 11 of them, awarding 10 Purple Heart medals.
Asked whether he expected the violence to abate soon, Bush said: "It's hard to tell. I know this, that we're plenty tough, and we'll remain tough."
"Obviously, every day I pray there is less casualty, but I know what we are doing in Iraq is right" Bush said. "It's right for long-term peace. It's right for the security of our country. And it's hard work."
The president said he will send more troops to Iraq if necessary.
Gen. John Abizaid, the overall commander of the Iraq war, "knows full well when he speaks to me, if he needs additional manpower, he can ask for it," Bush said.
Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, the top U.S. general in Iraq, said Sunday that 129,000 U.S. troops are in Iraq. Nearly 30,000 of them are from Fort Hood, the largest active-duty armored post in the military, said base spokesman James Wittmeyer.
Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld has said U.S. commanders want to hold that level for some time rather than reduce to 115,000, as previously planned.
Lawmakers from both parties said the increasing violence is an indication that more troops are needed.
"It's clear that we're stretched, and the Iraqi security are not prepared yet to fight and to turn back insurgents," Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told "Fox News Sunday."
Bush blamed the surging violence on "a few people trying to stop progress toward democracy."
"These incidents were basically thrust upon the innocent Iraqi people by gangs, violent gangs," he said.
"Today, on bended knee, I thanked the good Lord for protecting those of our troops overseas, and our coalition troops and innocent Iraqis," he said.
For a second straight year, three generations of the Bush family celebrated Easter at Fort Hood, making the 50-mile helicopter flight from his Crawford ranch. It was the president's first public appearance since he arrived for an Easter break on his ranch on April 5.
Accompanying the president on the half-day trip were his wife, mother-in-law, twin daughters and his parents.
They sat together in a semicircular pew inside the pyramid-shaped chapel, and took communion. National security adviser Condoleezza Rice (news - web sites) and deputy chief of staff Joe Hagin sat across aisle from the president's family, along with the commander of the base.
In his sermon, chaplain Maj. David Scheider compared Christ's crucifixion to cataclysmic events in American history, including the attack on Pearl Harbor and the assassination of President Kennedy. "For all of us in this room, except for some of the babies, we hold in common the memory of 9-11," he said. "Life as we wanted it to be is over."
"But God was already on the move, doing something new," Scheider said.
"Christianity is based on one historic event_ it happened Easter morning." Members of the congregation responded with cries of "Amen!"
For Easter dinner, the Bush family — joined by Rice — ate gingersnap and apricot-crusted ham; fresh mozzarella, tomato, and avocado chopped salad; green chili cheese grits souffle; asparagus; homemade yeast rolls; and lemon meringue pie.
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