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Bush speech backs Iraq strategy Bush pledges 'terror war' victory
(30 minutes later)
US President George W Bush is giving the first in a series of speeches defending his strategy in the "war on terror", as mid-term polls approach. President George W Bush has said that victory in Iraq is essential to winning the "war on terror".
Mr Bush, addressing military veterans in Salt Lake City, Utah, said Iraq was the "central front" in the fight against terorism. The US would not leave Iraq until victory was achieved, he told military veterans in Salt Lake City, Utah.
He predicted "victory for the cause of freedom and liberty" in a "decisive ideological struggle" with Islamists. And he warned Iran of "consequences" if it continued to defy the international community over its nuclear programme.
He is to speak several times on Iraq and security in the next two weeks. The speech is one of a series in which Mr Bush is to defend his security strategy as the mid-term elections in the US approach.
Correspondents say his Republican party fears unease over the Iraq war could damage their standing in coming polls. Mr Bush said the US and its allies were engaged in a "decisive ideological struggle" with Islamist groups both Sunni and Shia, including al-Qaeda and Hezbollah.
BBC correspondent James Westhead says the White House is thought to be trying shift attention from the unpopular war in Iraq to the global terror threat. All of them, he said, held "the rigid conviction that free societies are a threat to their twisted view of Islam".
He says the threat remains a politically potent issue, and one over which the president has the backing of much of the US public. Mr Bush said Iraq was the "central front" in this global fight against terrorism, and that the US "will not leave until victory is achieved".
Iran condemned He said previous US policy in the Middle East had failed, and warned that if the US did not confront terrorists in places like Iraq, then they would face them within the US.
Mr Bush said Islamist groups held "the rigid conviction that free societies are a threat to their twisted view of Islam". 'Choice'
US servicemen and women were showing great courage in defending freedom in what he termed "the first war of the 21st Century".
If the US did not confront terrorists in places like Iraq, Mr Bush said, then they would face them within the US.
He denied there was a civil war in the country.
The president also condemned the government of Iran, which he said was supporting terrorist groups like Hezbollah and defying the international community with its nuclear activities.The president also condemned the government of Iran, which he said was supporting terrorist groups like Hezbollah and defying the international community with its nuclear activities.
"It is time for Iran to make a choice. We've made our choice - we will continue to work closely with our allies to make a diplomatic solution, but there must be consequences for Iran's defiance and we must not allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon.""It is time for Iran to make a choice. We've made our choice - we will continue to work closely with our allies to make a diplomatic solution, but there must be consequences for Iran's defiance and we must not allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon."
Mr Bush's two-week-long series of speeches on the "war on terror" coincides with the anniversary of the 11 September 2001 attacks and culminates in an address to the United Nations on 19 September. Mr Bush is to make several more speeches on Iraq and security in the next two weeks.
Correspondents say his Republican party fears unease over the Iraq war could damage their standing in coming polls.
The BBC's James Westhead says the White House is thought to be trying to shift attention from the unpopular war in Iraq to the global terror threat.
He says the threat remains a politically potent issue, and one over which the president has the backing of much of the US public.
Mr Bush's series of speeches coincides with the anniversary of the 11 September 2001 attacks and culminates in an address to the United Nations on 19 September.
The US is to hold mid-term polls on 7 November.The US is to hold mid-term polls on 7 November.