"Iraq Violence Raises Doubts About Progress"

WASHINGTON (AP) - While President Bush is predicting more prosperous days ahead for Iraq, analysts say that forecast won't come true until the chaotic security situation there improves.

"Until you can walk across the street without ducking, it will be hard to get the economy back," said David Wyss, chief economist at Standard & Poor's in New York.

The White House has launched a public relations campaign to answer heavy criticism of and declining public support for America's presence in Iraq. Bush gave the second of four planned speeches on Wednesday and scheduled the third for Monday in Philadelphia. On Thursday the White House launched a series of briefings by the president and military leaders for members of Congress.

Republican House members were at the White House to hear from Bush, as well as Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld; Gen. George Casey, the top U.S. commander in Iraq; Gen. John Abizaid, chief of Central Command; Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and Zalmay Khalilzad, the U.S. ambassador to Baghdad. Other such briefings were scheduled for next week, and were to include Democrats as well as Republicans from the House and Senate, White House press secretary Scott McClellan said.

http://apnews1.iwon.com/article/20051208/D8EC5FTO2.html