Bush makes brief farewell visit to Iraq (2nd Roundup)

Dec 14, 2008, 17:57 GMT

Baghdad/Washington - Five weeks before the end of his time in office, US President George W Bush arrived in Iraq on Sunday on an unannounced visit and met with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki. It was likely to be his last to the country as president.

Bush was greeted in Baghdad by the head of the US-led coalition in Iraq, General Raymond Odierno and the US ambassador, Ryan Crocker. Bush went on to meetings with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.

The purpose of Bush's visit was to bolster the recently-signed US- Iraq Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), which was passed by the Iraqi parliament in November. The deal, debated over three weeks in the legislature, paves the way for the transfer of full sovereignty to Iraq and the departure of US troops by 2011.

Speaking in Baghdad, Bush said of the United States' five-year involvement in Iraq since the ouster of Saddam Hussein in 2003 that, 'the work hasn't been easy, but it has been necessary for American security, Iraqi hope and world peace.'

Bush also met with US troops and thanked them for their efforts. Bush's Air Force One had landed earlier in broad daylight, in a departure from previous protocol, highlighting security gains since the successful 'surge' strategy of 2007.

The number of attacks on US troops is currently less than 300 per week, down from more than 1500 per week in 2007.

US Defence Secretary Robert Gates, who will remain in his post after Barack Obama moves into the White House in January, called for other Arab governments to support the government in Baghdad. On Saturday, Gates told a security conference in the Gulf state of Bahrain that it would be desirable for Iraq to be able to join the Gulf Cooperation Council, currently a six-member association of Gulf Arab nations.

Bush, on his fourth visit to Iraq since the 2003 invasion, was scheduled to stay only a few hours.

Later on Sunday, President Bush had two shoes thrown at him by an Iraqi reporter during a press conference with al-Maliki. The man also called the US president a 'dog' in Arabic. Neither of the shoes made contact with the president. The man was removed from the room by security staff.

Bush laughed off the incident, saying that 'whoever it interests - it was a size ten that he threw at me.'