President George W. Bush will delivery a speech on the U.S. military mission in Iraq on Thursday after his top commander and ambassador testify to Congress. White House Spokeswoman Dana Perino said Bush would make a 15-to-20 minute speech. Bush will invite the leaders of Congress later today to listen to their views of the two-day testimony of General David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker, Perino said. Petraeus and Crocker told a Senate panel Tuesday that the withdrawal of “surge” troops sent as reinforcements last year would be completed in July and recommended that officials then take 45 days to review future force numbers. Bush has met with top State Department and Pentagon officials in recent weeks and has been briefed regularly by Petraeus and Crocker, Perino said. “He had a lot of input, and I think he felt that he had a very good idea of what they were going to be recommending,” Perino told reporters. “He's been digesting that information and deciding what he thinks will be the way forward.” Perino avoided answering questions about whether Bush would make an announcement on troop levels in Iraq. “The speech will be broad, " Perino said. “It will be remarks that cover a range of issues in regards to the way forward in Iraq, taking in account all that he's heard from General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker, as well as the experts at the State Department, [and] at Department of Defense.”
