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Bush speech hails Iraq 'victory' Bush speech hails Iraq 'victory'
(about 2 hours later)
President George W Bush has delivered a speech to mark the fifth anniversary of the US-led invasion of Iraq.President George W Bush has delivered a speech to mark the fifth anniversary of the US-led invasion of Iraq.
Speaking at the Pentagon, Mr Bush said "removing Saddam Hussein from power was the right decision".Speaking at the Pentagon, Mr Bush said "removing Saddam Hussein from power was the right decision".
And he went on to say that the recent "surge" of US troops to Iraq has brought about "a major strategic victory in the broader war on terror".And he went on to say that the recent "surge" of US troops to Iraq has brought about "a major strategic victory in the broader war on terror".
The speech comes amid criticism in the US of the war, with some critics pointing to its high cost. The speech comes amid criticism in the US of the war, with some opponents pointing to its high cost.
In his speech, Mr Bush dismissed what he called "exaggerated estimates".In his speech, Mr Bush dismissed what he called "exaggerated estimates".
He said: "The costs are necessary when we consider the cost of a strategic victory for our enemies in Iraq."He said: "The costs are necessary when we consider the cost of a strategic victory for our enemies in Iraq."
New alliesNew allies
Mr Bush argued that fighting Islamic militants in Iraq helped to prevent attacks on targets in the US.Mr Bush argued that fighting Islamic militants in Iraq helped to prevent attacks on targets in the US.
"The terrorists who murder the innocent in the streets of Baghdad want to murder the innocent in the streets of American cities," he said."The terrorists who murder the innocent in the streets of Baghdad want to murder the innocent in the streets of American cities," he said.
"Defeating this enemy in Iraq will make it less likely we will face this enemy here at home.""Defeating this enemy in Iraq will make it less likely we will face this enemy here at home."
He also made the case that by working with Sunni Arabs from the Awakening Councils to defeat al-Qaeda, the US was successfully driving a wedge between militants and the Arab mainstream. He also made the case that by working with Sunni Arabs from so-called Awakening Councils to defeat al-Qaeda, the US was successfully driving a wedge between militants and the Arab mainstream.
"In Iraq," he said, "we are witnessing the first large-scale Arab uprising against Osama Bin Laden. And the significance of this development cannot be overstated.""In Iraq," he said, "we are witnessing the first large-scale Arab uprising against Osama Bin Laden. And the significance of this development cannot be overstated."
Campaign issue
As he spoke, 32 people were arrested protesting in front of the Internal Revenue Service building in Washington.
The protesters were trying to draw attention to taxpayers' money funding the war.
"We wanted to put our bodies between the money and what that money goes to fund - the war, the occupation, the bombs," said Frida Berrigan from the War Resisters League.
Protesters were arrested in front of Washington's IRS buildingAnti-war protests have also been planned for other American cities including New York, Miami, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Estimates of what the war has cost Americans vary considerably. The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office estimates $600bn (£300bn) has been spent on the war so far, including this year's appropriations.
Nobel-prize winning economist Joseph Stiglitz calculates that the war will cost $3 trillion (£1.5 trillion) once health care for veterans and future economic losses are considered.
On the presidential election campaign trail, Democratic Party front-runner Barack Obama criticised the Bush administration's motives for launching the war.
"There was a president for whom ideology over-rode pragmatism and there were too many politicians in Washington who spent too little time reading the intelligence reports and too much time reading public opinion," he said in a speech at the Fort Bragg military base in North Carolina.
Both he and his rival for the Democratic nomination, Hillary Clinton, have pledged to end the war.
On Monday, Mrs Clinton said the war may cost the US $1 trillion - money which could provide health care to 47m uninsured Americans, make university education affordable and solve the growing housing crisis.
Only the expected Republican Party nominee, John McCain, has continued to support the US policy in Iraq.
Meanwhile in Iraq, a female suicide bomber killed six people at a bus station in Balad Ruz in Diyala province, according to Iraqi police.Meanwhile in Iraq, a female suicide bomber killed six people at a bus station in Balad Ruz in Diyala province, according to Iraqi police.
And near the northern city of Kirkuk, US troops shot dead three Iraqi policemen by mistake, an incident officials described as "a tragic accident, which was sincerely regretted".And near the northern city of Kirkuk, US troops shot dead three Iraqi policemen by mistake, an incident officials described as "a tragic accident, which was sincerely regretted".