Washington, July 3: While conducting experiments on mice, scientists Washington University School of Medicine in St.

Washington  - US President George W Bush acknowledged on Wednesday that US and NATO forces in Iraq have faced a "tough" fight in recent weeks but expressed confidence the resurgent Taliban militants will be defeated.

"It has been a tough month in Afghanistan, but it's also been a tough month for the Taliban," Bush said.

The Taliban launched an assault in June throughout Eastern Afghanistan until being pushed back by US and NATO forces, but the fighting claimed the largest number of lives of US soldiers since the US-led coalition invaded the country in 2001.