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Bush: Iraq report “cause for optimism� |
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By Jeremy Jacobs
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Posted: 07/14/07 05:29 PM [ET] |
President Bush, in an effort to deflect criticism from his Iraq policy, Saturday said the interim report on the situation in Iraq is cause for “optimism” and that pulling troops out of the country early would be “dangerous” for the United States.
“Those who believe that the battle in Iraq is lost are pointing to the unsatisfactory performance on some of the political benchmarks,” Bush said in his Saturday morning radio address. “Those of us who believe the battle in Iraq can and must be won see the satisfactory performance on several of the security benchmarks as a cause for optimism. “
The report showed that satisfactory progress had been reached in eight out of 18 benchmarks, including reducing sectarian violence and ensuring the rights of minority parties are protected. According to the document, progress was not satisfactory in the areas of reforming de-Baathification and curbing militia control of local security.
“Our strategy is built on the premise that progress on security will pave the way for political progress,” Bush said. “This report shows that conditions can change, progress can be made, and the fight in Iraq can be won.”
The president also pointed to Anbar Province as an example of the United States’ success in Iraq. Last September, Bush said, war critics drew attention to the region as an example of “America’s failure in Iraq.” But the situation quickly changed, he said. “Sunni tribes that had been fighting alongside al Qaeda against our coalition came forward to fight alongside our coalition against al Qaeda,” the president said.
The strategy pursued now, Bush said, is designed to replicate the success in Anbar. This strategy will create “the conditions that will allow our troops to begin coming home.”
But bringing troops home before securing Iraq, Bush said, “would mean surrendering the future of Iraq to al Qaeda, risking a humanitarian catastrophe, and allowing the terrorists to establish a safe haven in Iraq and gain control of vast oil resources they could use to fund new attacks on America.”
Moreover, Bush reasoned, an unstable Iraq would “increase the probability” that Americans would be forced to return to the country to “confront an enemy that is even more dangerous” in the future. |
