Washington: Admitting US difficulties in Iraq, President George W Bush has said that he will send more troops to the war-hit country if necessary.

"It was a tough week last week, and my prayers and thoughts are with those who paid the ultimate price for our security," Bush said at Ford Hood, Texas, yesterday (Apr 11, 2004).

He said that he has spoken to General John Abizaid, the top commander in the Persian Gulf region, twice in the last four or five days. "He knows full well that when he speaks to me, if he needs additional manpower he can ask for it."

More than 50 US soldiers have been reportedly killed in the past week across Iraq in fighting with insurgents. The country has witnessed an uprising by a radical Shiite militia in the South as US-led forces taking on Sunni insurgents in Fallujah.

Bush said "...this violence we have seen is part of a few people trying to stop progress toward democracy. Fallujah, South of Baghdad, these incidents were basically thrust upon the innocent Iraqi people by gangs, violent gangs."

The President was attending Easter Sunday service at Fort Hood, accompanied by his wife Laura, their twin daughters, as well as his father, former president George Bush and former first lady Barbara Bush.

About the cease-fire with the insurgents in Iraq, he said, "We are open-minded to suggestions. Members of the Governing Council wanted a chance to move into Fallujah and see if they could bring some order to the gangs and violence ... Obviously, I pray every day there's less casualty."