The White House warned Monday that the United States must face the possibility of escalating violence and further causalities in the months ahead in Iraq. Just a short while after U.S. President George W. Bush spoke to Iraqi President Jalal Talabani by telephone, White House spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters at a press briefing that the leaders of the two countries discussed ongoing security challenges in Iraq. When asked by reporters whether Talabani expressed any concerns about the rising level of civilian casualties and the deaths of American troops, McClellan said that "difficulties" would remain.
