Moving closer to an overhaul of troubled war strategy, President George W. Bush yesterday heard firsthand from his new Pentagon chief, just back from a visit to Iraq.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates, finishing up his first week on the job, spent three days in Iraq before heading straight to Camp David in Maryland to report to the president on his conversations with Iraqi leaders and U.S. commanders and soldiers.

Bush, who is spending Christmas at the presidential retreat, was joined by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, national security adviser Stephen Hadley and Hadley's deputy, J.D. Crouch, who is coordinating the administration's Iraq review.

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While in Iraq, Gates expressed confidence that Iraqis can take the lead in reducing the violence and warned Iran and Syria not to meddle in their
neighbor's affairs.

Bush has said he cannot settle on a revised war plan without input from Gates, who took over from Donald H. Rumsfeld at the Defense Department on Monday. The president is expected to announce a revamped Iraq strategy in a speech to the nation between New Year's Day and January 23, when he gives his State of the Union address.

The president is considering adding thousands of U.S. troops to the 140,000 already in Iraq as a way to control escalating violence, particularly in Baghdad.

Some important voices at the Pentagon, however, are not convinced that a
significant troop increase would help and, in fact, worry it could do more harm than good.

While saying he has not decided whether to deploy more U.S. soldiers, the
president has given another nod to military leaders by making clear he agreesthat any such mission is only feasible if there is a defined mission that is clear and achievable.

The military component of Bush's upcoming plan has drawn the most attention. But it is only one part of what is expected to be a multi-pronged strategy.

It also will include a way to improve the economic picture in Iraq and a new approach to both diplomacy in the region and to the delicate and deadly political situation inside Iraq.