President Bush made a surprise visit to Iraq on Monday. He spent six hours at a U.S. air base in Anbar province and met with top U.S. military and Iraqi political leaders. The president suggested that a reduction of U.S. troops in Iraq is possible.

President Bush: “But I want to tell you this about the decision — about my decision about troop levels: Those decisions will be based on a calm assessment by our military commanders on the conditions on the ground, not a nervous reaction by Washington politicians to poll results in the media. In other words, when we begin to draw down troops from Iraq, it will be from a position of strength and success, not from a position of fear and failure.”

President Bush said remarkable changes had taken place in Anbar because of the so-called U.S. surge. But military analysts have disputed Bush’s claim. The Associated Press reports the progress in Anbar was initiated by the Iraqis themselves. Sunni tribes decided to fight and retake control from al-Qaeda many months before the president decided to send an extra 4,000 marines to Anbar as part of his troop buildup. In addition, Middle East analyst Juan Cole said Anbar province remains more violent than President Bush let on. One quarter of all U.S. troops killed in Iraq in July died in the province. Eighty percent of the population in Anbar remains unemployed.