UNITED STATES:PRESIDENT GEORGE Bush has ordered an indefinite halt to troop withdrawals from Iraq from July, effectively ensuring that a substantial US military presence will remain in that country when he leaves office next January.
Mr Bush's decision endorses a recommendation to Congress this week from his top military commander in Iraq, Gen David Petraeus, who said security gains were fragile and reversible.
The president said that Gen Petraeus will "have all the time he needs" to consider when more American forces could return home. After the extra troops sent to Iraq last year go home in July, there will still be about 140,000 US military personnel in Iraq.
Addressing veterans' service groups in the White House yesterday, Mr Bush said that "while this war is difficult, it is not endless" and claimed that the surge in US troop numbers had achieved a major strategic shift in Iraq.
"The day will come when Iraq is a capable partner of the United States," the president said in remarks directed to US service personnel in Iraq.
"The day will come when Iraq's a stable democracy that helps fight our common enemies and promote our common interests in the Middle East. And when that day arrives, you'll come home with pride in your success."
Mr Bush also announced that military tours in Iraq and Afghanistan would be reduced in August from 15 months to 12 months but former secretary of state and chairman of the military joint chiefs of staff Colin Powell warned yesterday that the next president would inherit an overstretched military.
"Whichever one of them becomes president on January 1st, 2009, they will face a military force that cannot continue to sustain 140,000 people deployed in Iraq and the 20,000 odd or 25,000 people we have deployed in Afghanistan and our other deployments," he told ABC News.
Mr Powell, who was once touted as a possible Republican presidential candidate, said he had yet to decide whom to support in 2008 but he praised Barack Obama's handling of a controversy over statements by his former pastor, Jeremiah Wright.
"I think that Senator Obama handled the issue well," Mr Powell said.
"He didn't look the other way. He didn't wait for the, for the, you know, for the storm to go over. He went on television, and I thought, gave a very, very thoughtful, direct speech. And he didn't abandon the minister who brought him closer to his faith."
Mr Obama has joined his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in calling on Mr Bush to boycott the Beijing Olympics if human rights conditions do not improve.
"If the Chinese do not take steps to help stop the genocide in Darfur and to respect the dignity, security, and human rights of the Tibetan people, then the president should boycott the opening ceremonies," Mr Obama said.
Republican candidate John McCain said yesterday that he would not attend the Olympics opening as president unless China improves on human rights.