He embarked on his military helicopter Marine One, on the White House lawn at 3:35 pm (2035 GMT) and was due back on Sunday, aides said.

He made no comments to the press as he walked the 100 meters (yards) from the Oval Office to the helicopter, accompanied by his wife, Laura, National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice and White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card.

Shortly before leaving, in a speech to war veterans, Bush had hailed the "great progress" US and British troops were making in the war in Iraq.

Bush seldom spends weekends at the White House, preferring the calm isolation of Camp David, where he held a war summit Wednesday and Thursday with close ally Prime Minister Tony Blair of Britain.

WAR.WIRE