.....Last Thursday, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said that it would take another 18 months before "Iraqi forces are capable of taking control of security in all of Iraq."
But, on Friday, President Bush contradicted al-Maliki and said that an appraisal about the Iraqi troops' capacity had not yet been reached, and again failed to provide a substantive answer on when troops could come home. "I think we'll get a realistic appraisal about the capacity for standing up Iraqi troops as this new government begins to function," he said. Then, on Sunday, "on the eve of President Bush's summit on Iraq" this week, General Casey contradicted Bush and said that coalition troops will gradually move out of the country in the coming months. "I think we're going to be able to see continued gradual reductions of coalition forces over the coming months and into next year," said Casey.
"The mixed signals the Bush Administration is sending the American people is more proof of the Administration's failure to come up with a plan for success in Iraq," said Democratic National Committee Press Secretary Stacie Paxton. "We hope that while the President is in Crawford this week strategizing, he will make a commitment to be honest and straightforward with the American people. Democrats remain committed to making 2006 a year of transition in Iraq so our troops can begin to come home."
http://www.democrats.org/a/2006/06/bush_administra_16.php