Bond to meet with President to Discuss Intelligence, War in Iraq

We will find out, this week, about President George W. Bush’s new approach for dealing with the war in Iraq. And, it’s expected the President will call for perhaps tens of thousands more U.S. troops to be sent to Iraq. The Vice Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee says he would feel more comfortable if he knew a little more about the Bush Administration’s plans. Senator Kit Bond says it would not be wise to simply increase the number of troops and support personnel in Baghdad because that would simply increase the number of American targets. Bond and other leading Senator are meeting with the President, Monday, at the White House to look over plans. Bond says he would prefer to see less of a focus on quantity of troops and more of an emphasis on a certain kind of military person being sent. He says communication is key and what is needed are U.S. troops who speak the language. Bond says Arab-Americans must be recruited to serve in Iraq – not necessarily as troops, but as communications officials and the like who could help U.S. forces get along with the locals. That’s part of the message he says he’s taking to the meeting with President Bush.