President Bush meets Friday with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to review military operations in Iraq and the fight against terrorism.
President Bush welcomes the defense secretary to his Texas ranch for a review of U.S. military operations and a broader discussion of strategy in the fight against international terrorism.
They will be joined by Vice President Dick Cheney for talks on Secretary Rumsfeld's program to transform the U.S. military into a lighter, more agile force that is easier to deploy quickly. Toward that end, the men will review the status of U.S. troops stationed at bases overseas.
White House officials say the president and his advisors will also discuss international peacekeeping from U.S. forces in Bosnia to American support for West African peacekeepers in Liberia.
It's Secretary Rumsfeld's annual trip to brief the president during his August vacation on the ranch, and it follows Mr. Bush's meetings earlier this week with Secretary of State Colin Powell. Following Friday's defense briefing, the president is expected to make a short statement, and may take a few questions from the press.