The insurgents are pushing Iraq towards the brink of a civil war but the Iraqi government and the military could still prevent it with strong international backing, the generals said.
This is the first time President Bush has gone on record saying that US forces were `stressed' in Iraq.
The claim's authenticity could not immediately be confirmed.
As many as 94 Indians on Monday left Iraq after a "pro-active approach" initiated by the Indian officials there that would see nearly 600 nationals leaving the war-hit country to safety this week.
United States President Barack Obama has marked the end of the Iraq War by lauding the "extraordinary achievement" of his country's troops. He paid tribute to the slain soldiers and their families in a speech at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. "Tomorrow, the colours of the United States Forces Iraq, the colours you fought under, will be formally cased in a ceremony in Baghdad. Then they will begin their journey across an ocean back home," the BBC quoted Obama as saying.
Striking a strident posture, the US defence secretary said disarmament is not an issue between Iraq and the United Nations, but between Iraq and the US.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Top government officials in New Delhi have started discussions with stakeholders ranging from shipping and container companies to export promotion councils to understand the impact of the Iran-Israel tensions and plan ahead. Inter-ministerial talks are also being lined up amid the crisis situation in West Asia, sources confirmed. While the crude flows are not directly under any threat, elevated oil prices remain a concern, according to officials.
The United States is deploying up to 275 military personnel in Iraq to protect its citizens and property as the war-torn country battles a dramatic sweep by insurgents there.
The new executive order, which will come into force on March 16, covers people from Sudan, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen.
The Indian Embassy in Baghdad is "proactively liaising" with the authorities in Iraq to facilitate the return of about 28 Indins who are subjected to long working hours with poor salaries there after being reportedly duped by unscrupulous travel agents.
"In view of the seriousness of the current security situation in Iraq, Government of India advises its citizens to defer visits to the country for the time being," an official release said.
The location of the 40 Indian construction workers kidnapped in Mosul town of strife-torn Iraq has been identified by Iraqi authorities, the government said on Thursday.
India's import of cheap Russian oil scaled another record in May and is now more than the combined oil bought from Saudi Arabia, Iraq, UAE and the US, industry data showed. India took 1.96 million barrels a day from Russia in May, 15 per cent more than the previous high in April, according to data from energy cargo tracker Vortexa. Russia now makes up for nearly 42 per cent of all crude oil India imported in May.
Saddam would continue to inspire Sunni Arabs to not only oppose the US but also other governments that are perceived to be US puppets.
Iraqi Sunnis have been outraged by the executions and international human rights groups have also expressed concern.
The process will involve a four-stage disengagement that is scheduled to begin this spring, or at the latest by the end of the summer.
Delivering a speech at Greater Columbus Convention Center in Ohio on Thursday, McCain said: 'By January 2013, America has welcomed home most of the servicemen and women who have sacrificed terribly so that America might be secure in her freedom. The Iraq War has been won. Iraq is a functioning democracy, although still suffering from the lingering effects of decades of tyranny and centuries of sectarian tension.'
Around 5,000 Shia Muslims and 162 Hindus have agreed and are ready to go to Iraq.
Many nurses hailing from Kerala are stranded in conflict-torn Iraq. Their families reveal their horror stories to Vicky Nanjappa.
United States Defence Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said the new Iraqi constitution will not end all violence in Iraq.
Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Salih said that the Iraqi security forces will have assumed direct control over many provinces of the country.
The US is incredibly dependent on oil and it feared that the competition on the world market could become 'too hard', he told a security seminar in Stockholm.
Britain has some 9,000 troops in Iraq, mostly based in the south of the country.
Football's governing body FIFA has suspended the Iraqi Football Association (IFA) 'because of government interference'. 'In accordance with FIFA statutes, the clubs and representative teams of Iraq are no longer permitted to take part in international matches, whether friendly or competitive,' read a statement on the FIFA website.
Iraqi officials said the insurgents had planned to seize control of the holy city of Najaf and kill top Shia religious figures -- including Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, Iraq's most revered Shia leader.
A CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll on Wednesday, indicated that the American public considers McCain better than Obama on terrorism and Iraq. The poll also suggests that McCain is a stronger leader who would have better judgment in an international crisis.
Making their second Under-17 World Cup appearance, Iraq have been the surprise package of the proverbial 'group of death' as they are well placed to advance to the knockout stage following a spirited 1-1 draw against two-time champions Mexico, and a 3-0 rout of Latin American giants Chile.
Senior British commander in Alamarah in Iraq, Lt Col Andrew Williams, told Washington Times in an interview on Tuesday. London is yet to confirm this report.
Zico quit as coach of the Iraqi national team on Tuesday after little more than a year in the post, saying the country's soccer association had failed to fulfill the terms of his contract.
United States Vice President Joe Biden has said that the Obama administration is committed to end its combat mission in Iraq by August this year and remove all of its troops from the country as scheduled by the end of 2011.
Former US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice has said she does not regret the 2003 Iraq war to oust America's "implacable enemy" Saddam Hussein, but admitted that it was a "mistake" to put the spotlight simply on the weapons of mass destruction, which were never found.
The president said the US would stay in Iraq until it was 'free and democratic' and 'enemy forces bent on destroying the new government' are stopped.
Former United States President George W Bush has said he regretted flying a 'Mission Accomplished' banner on the USS Abraham Lincoln in 2003 and inaccurate information on weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
