'last throes' Cheney insists Iraq surge working

BBC

US Vice-President Dick Cheney has insisted that the recent increase of US troops in Iraq, or "surge", has improved security there.

In an interview with CNN, Mr Cheney said he believed a report on the US-led crackdown, due in September, would reveal significant progress.

Official figures showed 74 American service members died in Iraq in July, the lowest figure since late last year.

US troop numbers have been boosted by 30,000 since the start of the year.

Mr Cheney said he expected the report compiled by the US military commander in Iraq, David Petraeus, and Ambassador Ryan Crocker to be positive.

"The reports I'm hearing from people whose views I respect indicate that the Petraeus plan is in fact producing results," Mr Cheney told CNN.

President George W Bush has refused to speculate about the September report, saying on Monday: "I don't want to pre-judge what David is going to say.".....