Bush says Iraq plan needed to thwart global terrorism
US President George W Bush has ordered more than 20,000 additional troops to Iraq, as part of a new strategy for tackling the conflict there. He said the situation in Iraq was unacceptable, and that responsibility for mistakes rested with him. The military increase puts Mr Bush on a collision course with the new Democratic Congress.
Washington (AsiaNews/Agencies) - In a televised address to the United States US President George W Bush has outlined his new Iraq strategy, which includes the deployment of more than 20,000 extra troops. Mr Bush says America cannot afford to lose the war in Iraq because it will become a breeding ground for global terrorism.
The President has admitted he has made mistakes in Iraq and it has become an unacceptable situation. "The situation in Iraq is unacceptable to the American people, and it is unacceptable to me," Mr Bush said. "Where mistakes have been made, the responsibility rests with me."
Mr Bush says he will put greater pressure on Iraqis to restore order in Baghdad and he has used blunt language to warn Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki that "America's commitment is not open-ended".
"If the Iraqi Government does not follow through on its promises, it will lose the support of the American people, and it will lose the support of the Iraqi people," Mr Bush said.
According to Mr Bush, up to now Mr al-Maliki has failed to keep his promises: to disband Shiite militias, pursue national reconciliation and make good on commitments for Iraqi forces to handle security operations in Baghdad.
Mr Bush said his new strategy, in which Iraqis will try to take responsibility for all 18 provinces by November rather than just three now, "will not yield an immediate end to suicide bombings" and other violence. "The year ahead will demand more patience, sacrifice and resolve," he said.
The military increase puts Mr Bush on a collision course with the new Democratic Congress and pushes the American presence in Iraq toward its highest level. It also runs counter to widespread anti-war passions among Americans and the advice of some top generals. Mr Bush pushed back against the Democrats’ calls to end the unpopular war. He said that “to step back now would force a collapse of the Iraqi government, tear that country apart and result in mass killings on an unimaginable scale.”
In his address he says a new approach is vital if the United States is to stabilise the region and prevent the spread of extremism. "Radical Islamic extremists would grow in strength and gain new recruits," he said. "They would be in a better position to topple moderate governments, create chaos in the region and use oil revenues to fund their ambitions.
"Iran would be emboldened in its pursuit of nuclear weapons; our enemies would have a safe haven from which to plan and launch attacks on the American people." Mr Bush has vowed to cut off Iranian and Syrian support to "terrorists" in Iraq. "We will interrupt the flow of support from Iran and Syria," he said, accusing the two countries of "allowing terrorists and insurgents to use their territory to move in and out of Iraq."
Mr Bush also says if the Iraqi Government were to collapse, the United States would have to keep troops longer in Iraq. "If we increase our support at this crucial moment and help the Iraqis break the current cycle of violence, we can hasten the day our troops begin coming home," he said. He says Iraqi leaders must follow through on promises on approving an oil-sharing law and reforms aimed at a political reconciliation among warring groups, but he has given no deadlines. Mr Bush is also warning there will be more American and Iraqi deaths in the period ahead but is confident his new plan can succeed.
Mr Bush, however, cited the government’s latest optimistic estimate. “To establish its authority, the Iraqi government plans to take responsibility for security in all of Iraq’s provinces by November,” the president said.
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