Bush: War on terror a 'calling'

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 (UPI) -- U.S. President George Bush, calling the war on terror the new "calling" for a generation, said he would increase the size of the military.

"2006 was a tough year," Bush told a White House news conference Wednesday. He called the enemy "merciless and violent."

"The war on terror is the calling for a new generation. It's the calling for our generation," Bush said, adding that the country owes the military the resources for a sustained commitment.

"We have an obligation to ensure our military is capable for ... the long haul," he said.