Iraq Notebook
Bush opens the door to adding more troops

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At a news conference with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Bush said, "We could have less troops in Iraq, we could have the same number of troops in Iraq, we could have more troops in Iraq, whatever is necessary to secure Iraq."

Blair added, "We stay until the job gets done."

Later, a high-ranking administration official downplayed Bush's remark, reflecting concern that it might be interpreted as a sign that he's rethinking his pledge to begin withdrawing U.S. troops next year.

"The president was asked a question," the official said. "He gave a logical answer. But there is simply nothing to suggest that the number of American forces would need to increase."

Bush was responding to a reporter who said, "You say you want to bring the troops home starting from next year." Bush replied, "I said that we're going to bring our troops home starting next year? What I said is that we'll match the security needs with the number of troops necessary to secure Iraq."

There are more than 130,000 U.S. troops in Iraq. The Pentagon plans to reduce forces to about 105,000 by May. The administration envisions handing off responsibility to an independent Iraqi government by June.

Survey indicates Iraqis want U.S. to stick around

BAGHDAD — A growing number of Iraqis think occupying U.S. troops should stay in Iraq until the security situation improves, research published this month has shown.

In a survey carried out by the respected Psychological Research Center of Baghdad University, 71.5 percent of Iraqis think the U.S. occupation is necessary at least for a while, compared to 42 percent in a survey by the center in June.

"This shows an acceptance of the foreign presence as a temporary solution because of the fear, confusion and absence of law and order following the collapse of the old regime," said the report, obtained yesterday.

It also showed 63.2 percent approved of the Governing Council, appointed by the U.S. in July, as a first step toward stability and a new Iraq. Only 36.8 percent said the Council merely reinforced the occupation.

The research was carried out in a sample of 1,000 people from different sectors of the population all over the country of about 26 million people, which has seen security deteriorate amid a mounting insurgency against U.S. forces.

The study, which included Kurdish areas in the north, also showed more Iraqis now favored a monarchy along Islamic lines. A royalist party has been set up by a member of the British-backed Hashemite monarchy that ruled Iraq until a 1958 coup, one of dozens of new political parties.

Army says Halliburton billing is above board

A U.S. Defense Department review of Halliburton invoices for $655 million in Iraq reconstruction expenses has found no questionable billing, the Army Corps of Engineers, which oversees Iraqi building projects, says. The review is part of a continuing audit of expenses submitted under the no-bid contracts that the Pentagon awarded to rebuild Iraq following the U.S.-led invasion.

Contracts for Halliburton's Kellogg, Brown & Root unit have been under particular scrutiny because of concerns raised by Rep. Henry Waxman and other Democrats that the company got the job because of its political connections. Vice President Dick Cheney was chief executive at Halliburton, the world's second-largest oilfield-services company, from 1995 to 2000.

"So far nothing untoward has been found," the Corps said in a statement. "With the amount of publicity on this contract, auditors and contracting officers are being especially careful in reviewing all claim submissions."

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