Petraeus: Troop buildup hasn't worked as we had hoped

PENTAGON (AP) Army General David Petraeus (peh-TRAY'-uhs) has told troops that President Bush's troop surge in Iraq "has not worked out as we had hoped" because of unsatisfactory political progress made by the Iraqi government.

In a two-page letter to U.S. forces in Iraq, dated today, Petraeus acknowledged that the gains in security were not accompanied by political gains.

He wrote that there had been hopes that the summer would be "a time of tangible political progress." He added that a summit of Iraqi leaders last month did provide hope that "they are up to the task." President Bush himself has suggested that modest troop cuts may be possible if military successes continue, but he gave no timeline or specific numbers.

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