'US may be in Iraq for 10 yrs'
12/01/2008 10:03  - (SA)  

Al-Qaeda 'safe havens' blasted 151 000 Iraqis dead in 3 years Deadliest year for Iraq troops Leaders call for peace Doggy love for US soldiers New Iraq pressure on Bush

Washington - US President George W Bush said on Friday that US-led forces "could easily" stay in Iraq ten years or more and that he was "not really" surprised that Osama bin Laden was still at large.

But Bush, in an interview with NBC television, took issue with Republican presidential hopeful John McCain's suggestion that US troops might stay in Iraq 100 years, saying: "100 years isn't the right number. That's a long time."

But the president said "it could very well be" that it would be a long-term presence and, when asked whether it might last ten years, replied: "It could easily be that, absolutely."

Any US military presence would have to be "on the invitation of the Iraqi government," Bush added during the interview, which was broadcast as he was on a week-long trip to the Middle East.

Asked whether he was surprised that bin Laden, the al-Qaeda terrorist chief believed to behind the September 11 2001 attacks on the United States, was still at large, Bush replied: "Not really.

"I mean, he's done a very good job of hiding in remote parts of the world. I'll say the guy's not leading parades these days."

 

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