Bush goes on prime time to defend Iraq policy

President George Bush went on US prime time television last night to meet head on growing criticism over the Coalition's handling of the post-war situation in Iraq and to reassure voters that the White House had a decisive strategy to create stability in the region.

President Bush began by acknowledging that it had been a "tough week" for the US; a week in which around 700 Iraqis and 87 US troops have died in firefights around Fallujah alone.

The president asserted that the rising tide of violence was nothing to do with religion or jihad. It was the work of a "fanatical, political ideology" which seeks to impose tyranny in the Middle East and beyond, he added.

"They seek to oppress and persecute women. They seek the death of Jews and Christians, and every Muslim who desires peace over theocratic terror. They seek to intimidate America into panic and retreat, and to set free nations against each other. And they seek weapons of mass destruction, to blackmail and murder on a massive scale," he said.

Reports have suggested that US commanders are calling for an extra 10,000 soldiers to back up efforts in restoring order to areas of greatest unrest – Fallujah, Najaf, and Baghdad.

Mr Bush told the US public that troop strength would be determined by military needs and not by political considerations. If the US commander on the ground, General Abizaid, demanded more troops and supplies, they will be sent, he said.

The Coalition must pacify Iraq and assist in overseeing the establishment of a sovereign Iraqi government, as the alternative would be an Iraq which is "a threat to America and to the world".

He once again called on the cleric Moqtada Al Sadr to disband his militia – estimated to be some 3,000 strong – and "answer the charges against him". An Iraqi court has issued a warrant for his arrest in relation to the murder of religious leader last year.

Mr Al Sadr is thought to be holed up inside the holy city of Najaf – which is now surrounded by some 2,500 Coalition troops who are preparing to fight their way in. The US believe that he is directly responsible for inciting the widespread revolts which have gripped towns and cities across Iraq.

Mr Bush said: "It's not a civil war; it's not a popular uprising. Most of Iraq is relatively stable. Most Iraqis, by far, reject violence and oppose dictatorship. In forums where Iraqis have met to discuss their political future, and in all the proceedings of the Iraqi Governing Council, Iraqis have expressed clear commitments. They want strong protections for individual rights; they want their independence; and they want their freedom."

Deflecting criticisms that the US presence in Iraq was an extension of an imperialist agenda within the White House, Mr Bush said: "We're not an imperial power, as nations such as Japan and Germany can attest. We are a liberating power, as nations in Europe and Asia can attest, as well. America's objective in Iraq is limited, and it is firm: We seek an independent, free and secure Iraq."

Mr Bush also met concerns that the US was shouldering too much of the burden over the past year, saying that talks are continuing to give Nato a wider role in Iraq.

However, the formal transition of power to a fully fledged Iraqi government will require there to be a US military presence, not only to maintain stability but to train Iraqi security services.

With the election on horizon, Mr Bush dismissed suggestions that he had lost popular support for action in Iraq, saying that he believed voters "understand the stakes".

He said: "The American people may decide to change – that's democracy… And I look forward to making my case. I'm looking forward to the campaign."

(gmcg)