Bush undecided over Iraq troop deployment

US PRESIDENT George W Bush yesterday admitted he hasn’t decided whether to send more troops to Iraq or begin bringing them home, saying he is awaiting the military’s recommendations.

He also shrugged off protests that greeted him in the world’s most populous Muslim nation, Indonesia, calling it a sign of a healthy democracy.

“It’s not the first time people have showed up and expressed their opinion about my policies,” Mr Bush said. “But that’s what happens when you make hard decisions.”

Appearing with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, whose countrymen turned out in their thousands to show their displeasure with Mr Bush’s staunch support of

Israel and the Iraq war, Mr Bush added: “People protest — that’s a good sign.”

The Indonesian leader, a close ally in Mr Bush’s war on terror, called for other nations to do more to help find ways to ease the Iraq conflict.

“The global community must be also responsible for solving the problems in Iraq”, not just the United States, Mr Yudhoyono said.

Mr Yudhoyono declined to criticise the war or call for an immediate end to the US presence in Iraq.

He advocated only “a proper timetable” for “the disengagement of US military forces and other coalition forces from Iraq”.

Mr Bush was asked about proposals by some members of the US Congress to send more troops to help the roughly 140,000 already there stabilise the country and curb sectarian violence.

“I haven’t made any decisions about troop increases or troop decreases, and won’t until I hear from a variety of sources, including our own United States military,” Mr Bush said.