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Bush pledges US to stay course amid 'tough times' in Iraq
AFP
WASHINGTON
Petroleumworld.com 10 12 06
President George W. Bush on Wednesday acknowledged "tough times" in Iraq amid spiralling violence, but vowed the United States would stay the course and help the fledgling democracy to face terrorist threats and sectarian fighting.
Bush said at a White House news conference that he had been briefed about the current situation in Iraq in a meeting earlier with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and General George Casey, the top commander on the ground in Iraq.
"The brutality of Iraq's enemies have been on full display in recent days," he said, blaming the violence on a combination of terrorists, former regime leaders, criminals and sectarian militias.
"These are tough times in Iraq. The enemy's doing everything within its power to destroy the government and to drive us out of the Middle East, starting with driving us out of Iraq before the mission is done."
He pledged as commander in chief of the US military to continue the US engagement in Iraq, despite rising pressure from the American public to get out, saying the stakes "couldn't be higher."
"If we were to abandon that country before the Iraqis can defend their young democracy, the terrorists would take control of Iraq and establish a new safe haven from which to launch new attacks on America. How do I know that would happen? Because that's what the enemy has told us would happen," he said.
"We can't tolerate a new terrorist state in the heart of the Middle East, with large oil reserves that could be used to fund its radical ambitions or used to inflict economic damage on the West.
"By helping the Iraqis build a democracy, an Iraqi-style democracy, we will deal a major blow to terrorists and extremists. We'll bring hope to a troubled region, and we'll make this country more secure."
He noted the leaders of Iraq's four-month-old democratic government were "beginning to make tough choices," and as they do, "we'll stand with them."
AFP 11 1705 GMT 10 06
Copyright ©2006 AFP. All Rights Reserved.
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