Bush says summer critical for Iraq strategy

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush said on Thursday this summer will be a critical time for his troop buildup strategy in Iraq and predicted heavy fighting in the weeks and months ahead.

Faced with demands to make progress in Iraq by September from Democrats and many Republicans, Bush told a news conference that the last troops in a 30,000-troop buildup should be in place by mid-June, and said "This summer is going to be a critical time for the new strategy."

"We expect heavy fighting in the weeks and months" ahead, Bush said. He said more American and Iraqi casualties should be expected.

Asked how long he believed he could sustain the policy without significant progress on the ground, Bush noted that the U.S. commander in Iraq, Gen. David Petraeus, is to report back on the effects of the new strategy at the end of the summer.

"I would like to see us in a different configuration at some point in Iraq. However it's going to require taking control of the capital," he said.

With dozens of U.S. troops killed in Iraq this month, Bush said he realized the loss of life was devastating for the families. He also said he was confident the U.S. military was doing everything it could to find two American soldiers missing since their patrol was ambushed on May 12.