"If it were just picking a troop number, they'd be done by now," Carafano said. "My guess is that it (Bush's plan) has to synchronize with some kind of Iraqi domestic political situation in Iraq."

Some military experts support a surge in troop levels beyond the 140,000 already on the ground in Iraq. They contend this will provide a window of opportunity for rebuilding and a political reconciliation between the Sunni and Shiite factions.

Democrats and others in the military community say sending more troops only increases the Iraqis' dependence on U.S. forces and allows them to delay making the painful political compromises needed to end the violence. Democrats are calling on Bush to end America's open-ended commitment in Iraq and some want to see Congress put restrictions on funding any large increases in U.S. troops there.

"A surge which is not part of an overall program of troop reduction that begins in the next four to six months would be a mistake," said Sen. Carl Levin (news, bio, voting record), D-Mich., who will take over the Armed Services Committee when the new Congress convenes on Jan. 4. "Even if the president is going to propose to temporarily add troops, he should make that conditional on the Iraqis reaching a political settlement that effectively ends the sectarian violence."

The president's unexpected remarks last week that he backs future expansion of the overall size of the Army and Marine Corps to lessen strain on ground forces was viewed as a possible hint that he plans to send in more troops.

In an action that might also foreshadow an increase in troops, the Pentagon on Wednesday announced that the 2nd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, based at Fort Bragg, N.C., will deploy to Kuwait to serve as the reserve force early next year.

Bush said his New Year's resolution is that U.S. troops will be safe and that the United States, in 2007, helps Iraq move closer to being able to sustain, govern and defend itself.

"My resolution is, is that they'll be safe and that we'll come closer to our objective, that we'll be able to help this young democracy survive and thrive and, therefore, we'll be writing a chapter of peace," Bush said.

As he spoke, the administration was preparing for the execution of Saddam as early as this weekend. That prediction was based on information that U.S. officials in Baghdad were receiving from the Iraqi government, according to a senior administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he didn't want to overshadow the president's remarks.

The official said Bush would likely hold another National Security Council session before announcing his new strategy in Iraq in the first few weeks of January.

At the meeting here Thursday, Gates and Pace, who just returned from Iraq, elaborated on the briefing they gave the president at the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland before Christmas. The bulk of the meeting focused on improving security in Iraq, but the president and his advisers also talked about economic and political issues.

Along a road leading to the ranch, about 20 anti-war protesters, including one wearing a pink wig, shouted "War Criminals!" and waved signs that read "Out of Iraq Now!" and "Bush Lied Troops Died."

Bush plans to return to Washington on Jan. 1. He and first lady Laura Bush will go immediately from Andrews Air Force Base to the Capitol to pay their respects to former President Gerald R. Ford, whose casket will be on public display in the Rotunda.

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