And we’re prepared to help in any way we can,” he said at the White House. The skies above southern California were filled with a swirling, near-apocalyptic mix of smoke and ash yesterday as the worst fires to strike the state in more than a decade raged through suburban communities, forcing thousands of people out of their homes into temporary shelters and killing at least 13 people. but the overall thrust is in the right direction and the good days outnumber the bad days,” he said.. “I see no evidence that the American people think we have any alternative but to tough it out,” he said. He added that it would still be possible for the US to reduce its military commitment to Iraq over the next two to three years, but it might be five years before it was possible to withdraw entirely.Mr Bremer said yesterday that progress was being made in Iraq, but that the good news is not often being reported “We’ll have rough days … It has been involved in a desperate but largely fruitless effort to obtain international support to allow it to reduce its commitment. President Bush said the US would “stay the course” in Iraq yesterday as the latest wave of violence raised questions about America’s timetable for withdrawal of its forces.

They love to try to create fear and chaos.” He added: “It’s in the national interest of the United States that a peaceful Iraq emerges, and we will stay the course in order to achieve this.”The Bush administration wants to scale down its presence in Iraq – possibly reducing its force of 130,000 troops to just 50,000 – in the next year. Now you know there are only so many hours before you start all over again.”Sir Ranulph added: “Mike is always fantastic. He gets the pace exactly right.”Under the banner of the Land Rover 7×7x7 Challenge the pair plan to run 183.4 miles with interconnecting flights covering 45,000 miles in 168 hours. Their trip will also take in marathons in Singapore, London and Cairo before finishing in New York on 2 November.All money raised from the marathons will be given to the British Heart Foundation.. Then it was scuppered by engine trouble.Instead, the pair found the southernmost location suitable for long-distance running: alongside the waters of the Magellan Strait in Patagonia in southern Chile.The pair will fly to the Falklands for the second stage, which was meant to take place in Santiago, before they head for the third marathon in Sydney tomorrow.Mr Stroud, who accompanied Sir Ranulph on a 1,300-mile trek across the Antarctic in 1993, said: “The last 10 miles were difficult but it has been a good start We could not have hoped for a nicer course. “President Bush said he was going to get Osama bin Laden, dead or alive Instead, he went after Saddam Hussein.

He doesn’t have eitherone of them today,” he told the audience in Detroit.With just 12 weeks to the first electoral showdown – in Iowa and then in New Hampshire – the candidates are increasing the level of attacks on each other Observers say this is likely to remain the strategy.. A month ago Mr Dean had a 12-point advantage in the state, which holds its primary election on 27 January.On Sunday night, the field of Democratic candidates mounted fresh attacks against President George Bush – and each other – during the latest televised debate.Mr Kerry, who has attracted widespread criticism because of his apparently ambiguous position on Iraq, tried to explain his decision to back Mr Bush’s initial request for the use of military force as well as his current position, opposing a request for $87bn (£51bn) to pay for the costs of occupation.General Clark, a former Nato supreme commander, faced questions on whether he would have voted to support the war and the $87bn request for Congressional funding. The last to go missing, Desmond Rolle, 14, never made it home on 28 September from his job packing groceries at a supermarket.All of the boys had worked as bag-packers at the Winn Dixie Supermarket in Freeport.The man in custody, who is 35, has not yet been charged.. The Presidential candidate Howard Dean, former governor of Vermont, is leading his nearest Democratic challenger by 13 points in the crucial state of New Hampshire.

“The parents of the boys have been contacted.”Police would not say whether the remains were from several bodies or even whether they were children.Jake Grant, 12, Mackinson Colas, 11, and DeAngelo McKenzie, 13, went missing within 18 days of each other in May Junior Reme, 11, disappeared on 30 June. Human remains have been found and a suspect has been taken into custody in the Bahamas – where the disappearance of five boys is being investigated. Hulan Hanna.”We’re optimistic this case is finally coming to a close,” Mr Hanna said. The remains were mostly skeletal and were spread out over the area, said Bahamas Police Superintendent.