Bush draws fire over Iraq soldier video conference

US President George W. Bush touched off a new round of controversy over his Iraq policies on Thursday when he conducted a videoconference in...

US President George W. Bush touched off a new round of controversy over his Iraq policies on Thursday when he conducted a videoconference interview about Saturday’s constitutional referendum with a group of troops in Iraq who reinforced his upbeat view of the conflict.

Bush spoke into a video screen to 10 US soldiers and one Iraqi officer in Tikrit, Iraq, ousted President Saddam Hussein’s hometown. The soldiers were coached for a closely coordinated exchange.

“What’s your strategy, and how do you think it’s going?” Bush asked. Capt. Brent Kennedy of the US army’s 42nd Infantry Division said US and Iraqi forces were working together to secure more than 1,250 polling places for Saturday’s vote. “We’re working right alongside with the Iraqis as they lead the way in securing these sites,” Kennedy said.

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With Iraqi troop readiness at the centre of the war debate, the discussion was questioned by war critics including Democrat leader Harry Reid, who complained that it was “highly scripted”, and by military personnel. “It’s against everything that people in uniform stand for.” said a senior military official who spoke on condition of anonymity.

White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan said he did not think the soldiers had been told what they could or could not say. “The troops can ask the president whatever they want,” he said. “They’ve always been free to do that.”

The president did not invite the soldiers to ask any questions, however, and none chose to do so. —LAT-WP