Bush: U.S. May Be In Iraq For Decade

Bush: US may be in Iraq for decade

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2 days ago

WASHINGTON (AFP) — US President George W. Bush said 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 wether 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 behind the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States, 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," said the president.