Bush
defends aggressive US role
Reuters/Larry
Downing
U.S.
President George W. Bush is seen during a news conference at White
House in Washington.
By
Olivier Knox
AFP
WASHINGTON
Petroleumworld.com 02 01 06
President George W. Bush was to make an election-year call Tuesday
to cut the US "addiction" to Middle Eastern oil and
vow a bold response to "a time of testing" in Iran and
Iraq.
With control of the US Congress up for grabs in November, Bush
was to deliver his annual State of the Union speech at 9:00 pm
(0200 GMT Wednesday) in a bid to set the political agenda and
shore up confidence in his policies.
"In a time of testing, we cannot find security by abandoning
our commitments and retreating within our borders," he said
in excerpts of his remarks released by the White House hours before
the televised prime-time remarks.
Aides said the president, politically weakened by the war in Iraq
and doubts about the US economy, would warn against beating a
hasty retreat or reevaluating US leadership on fighting terrorism
or promoting free trade.
Bush was also expected to reject criticisms that the victory by
the radical group Hamas in Palestinian elections called into question
the wisdom of his push for spreading democracy worldwide as an
antidote to terrorism.
"Ultimately, the only way to defeat the terrorists is to
defeat their dark vision of hatred and fear by offering the hopeful
alternative of political freedom and peaceful change," he
said in the excerpts.
"Our nation is committed to an historic, long-term goal --
we seek the end of tyranny in our world ... the future security
of America depends on it," he said, echoing the theme of
his inauguration speech one year ago.
Bush was also to unveil an energy initiative aimed at weaning
the US market off Middle Eastern oil and push a math and science
education initiative aimed at making sure the United States does
not lose jobs to rising economic powers.
"We cannot afford to be complacent. In a dynamic world economy,
we are seeing new competitors like China and India," he said.
"The road of isolationism and protectionism may seem broad
and inviting -- yet it ends in danger and decline," he said
in the excerpts.
Still, amid a chorus of calls for a withdrawal from Iraq, Bush
was to express optimism that conditions there will improve enough
to allow some US troops to return home this year.
He was also expected to reiterate his accusation -- rejected by
Tehran -- that Iran seeks nuclear weapons but draw a careful distinction
between the government and the people in the Islamic republic.
Bush drew a similar distinction between government and governed
in 2002, but it was lost amid an international outcry over his
decision to brand Iran part of an "axis of evil" along
with North Korea and Saddam Hussein's Iraq.
That phrase drew a torrent of international criticism, with even
the pro-reform majority in Iran's parliament denouncing it and
some in Europe saying such harsh language was counterproductive.
Amid soaring US energy costs and anger over sky-high oil company
profits, Bush was to warn that the the United States is "addicted
to oil which is often imported from unstable parts of the world,"
and promote an aggressive energy plan anchored on alternative
sources of fuel.
US public confidence in Bush has badly eroded amid rising casualties
in Iraq, worries about the US economy, soaring gas prices and
health care costs, and the poor government response to killer
Hurricane Katrina in August 2005.
Opinion surveys suggest that Bush's Republicans, hounded by a
deepening corruption scandal, could pay a high price in November,
when US voters cast ballots for the entire House of Representatives
and one-third of the Senate.
Although up slightly, his approval ratings have stagnated in the
low 40 percent range.
Democratic Governor Tim Kaine of Virginia said in excerpts of
his party's rebuttal that "there's a better way" to
promote US prosperity and fight terrorism than the president's
policies.
AFP
01 31 06
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