http://www.suntimes.com/news/world/142501,CST-NWS-bush20.articleHO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam -- President Bush paid tribute to new symbols of capitalism in this struggling communist country today and offered encouragement for Vietnam's battle against bird flu and other public health challenges.
The president was quickly touring this city, once known as Saigon, before flying to Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country, where thousands angrily protested America's policy in the Middle East and wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The White House said it was confident about security precautions for Bush's visit despite police warnings of an increased threat of attack by al-Qaida-linked groups.
The president was to spend just six hours in Indonesia, most of it at Bogor Palace, outside the capital of Jakarta and far from the scene of protests where Bush was denounced as a ''war criminal" and ''terrorist.''