Bush says September "important moment" in Iraq

WASHINGTON, May 22 (Reuters) President George W Bush said he believes September will be an ''important moment'' to assess the extent of progress in Iraq under his troop buildup plan.

Bush has been pressured by lawmakers from his Republican Party to show progress in Iraq by September. Bush said he expects to get an assessment of the impact of the troop buildup plan from the top US commander in Iraq, General. David Petraeus.

''I see it as an important moment, because David Petraeus says that's when he'll have a pretty good assessment as to what the effects of the surge has been,'' Bush told Reuters in an interview yesterday when pressed on whether he sees September as a make-or-break period.

As for the concerns of the Republican lawmakers, Bush said: ''They think it's an important moment; they're looking forward to what he has to say ...They just recognize the reality of what he said: I'll report back and let you know the extent of the progress.'' REUTERS KK PM0456