WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush is voicing sorrow over the deaths of US soldiers in an attack on a US base near Mosul in Iraq today. He says he wants their loved ones to know that the mission in Iraq is a "vital mission for peace."

A Pentagon official confirmed that at least 22 people were killed in an attack near Mosul. The attack, at a joint US and Iraqi military base near the northern Iraqi city, has left another 50 people hurt.

A Pentagon source, who wished to remain anonymous, says the
attackers were firing rockets and mortars at the base. The official
said it's believed a dining hall was struck. It's not yet known if
US soldiers are among the casualties.

Just yesterday, President Bush acknowledged that a wave of
deadly attacks has caused Americans to question whether Iraqis will
ever be able to take over from US forces.

A White House spokesman says the attack is a sign that "the
enemies of freedom will continue to seek to derail the transition"
to democracy in Iraq.