Sources: Bush ready to send up to 50,000 more troops to Iraq

President George W Bush is poised to increase troop numbers in Iraq as part of a dramatic new strategy designed to regain control of Baghdad and suffocate the Sunni insurgency.

Sending more soldiers and marines to Iraq would infuriate Democrats and be a slap in the face to James Baker, the former US secretary of state who co-authored the independent Iraq Study Group report, which recommended a draw down of all combat forces by early 2008.

But an advisor involved in White House discussions said of Mr Bush: "This is the direction he's moving in. He understands we have to win and to do that requires more troops."

Mr Bush is debating with his aides and outside advisors how many extra troops there should be and for what period. His options range from a temporary "surge" of 20,000 troops to a "big push" involving more than 50,000.

Read the rest at the Daily Telegraph

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