US President George W. Bush said on May 1 that he “appreciate[d] Georgia's recent decision to contribute 2,000 troops” to coalition forces in Iraq.

Speaking at the U.S. Central Command headquarters in Tampa, Florida, Bush said that leaving Iraq too soon would have lasting repercussions in the region and the world.

Currently, Georgia has about 850 of its elite troops in Iraq and is, on a per capita basis, one of the most significant contributors to the coalition forces. The country plans to increase its military presence in Iraq to 2,000 troops by this June.