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Bush vows to adapt Iraq tactics Bush vows to adapt Iraq tactics
(about 2 hours later)
US President George W Bush has said military tactics in Iraq will keep changing to deal with insurgents.US President George W Bush has said military tactics in Iraq will keep changing to deal with insurgents.
In his weekly radio address, he conceded that attacks had grown during the holy month of Ramadan. But the US would not abandon the goal of building a strong democracy, Mr Bush said in his regular radio address.
But he said he would not abandon his goal of building a strong democracy and a strong ally in the "war on terror". On Saturday, the president held a video conference with his senior generals in Iraq to discuss the escalating violence there. No announcement has been made.
Mr Bush also held a video conference with his senior generals in Iraq to discuss the escalating violence there.No announcement has been made. The talks came as 17 people were killed in a mortar attack on a market near the Iraqi capital, Baghdad.
Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld were also joining the discussion, which coincided with more violence. Iraqi state television reported that 30 people had also been injured in the attack on the crowded outdoor market in the area of Mahmoudiya.
Among Saturday's attacks: In other violence on Saturday:
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  • At least 18 people were killed in a mortar attack on a market in Mahmoudiya, south of Baghdad
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    • Three US marines were killed "by enemy action" in Anbar province.
  • Four     people died and 15 were injured in a suicide bomb attack on a Baghdad bus     		It's high time Bush and his followers acknowledged their failed policies and left Iraqis alone to sort out the mess that the invasion caused Willy KisituWroclaw, Poland href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=4371&edition=1" class="">Your views on Iraq
  • The     US military said troops killed a senior al-Qaeda in Iraq leader in Ramadi, 110km (68 miles) west of Baghdad. He was not named
  • Four people died and 15 were injured in a suicide bomb attack on a Baghdad bus
  • Clashes     have broken out between Shia militants and Iraqi police in the town of Suweira, south-east of Baghdad, killing at least three
  • The US military said troops killed a senior al-Qaeda in Iraq leader in Ramadi, 110km (68 miles) west of Baghdad. He was not named
  • Clashes have broken out between Shia militants and Iraqi police in the town of Suweira, south-east of Baghdad, killing at least three
    • The violence follows two days of clashes between Shia militias and Iraqi police in the southern town of Amara, in which more than 30 people were killed.
    Election issueElection issue
    Mr Bush's handling of the Iraq crisis has become a major issue in the elections next month for Congress, and opinion polls are suggesting that Mr Bush's Republican party could potentially lose control of the Senate and House of Representatives.Mr Bush's handling of the Iraq crisis has become a major issue in the elections next month for Congress, and opinion polls are suggesting that Mr Bush's Republican party could potentially lose control of the Senate and House of Representatives.
    Little remains of the police station in Amara following the violenceEnlarge Image
    On Saturday, President Bush met his senior generals via a video teleconference. Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld joined the discussion.
    The BBC's James Westhead in Washington said that while there was no announcement of a change in tactics, one option thought to be considered is increasing troop numbers in the short term to try and reduce sectarian violence.
    According to the US military, there has been a 22% rise in attacks in Baghdad this month.
    With 78 US soldiers killed so far, October is on course to become the deadliest month for US forces in Iraq for two years.
    In his radio address from the White House, Mr Bush said the last few weeks had been "rough for our troops in Iraq, and for the Iraqi people".
    Click here to see where Iraq's ethnic and religious groups liveEnlarge MapClick here to see where Iraq's ethnic and religious groups liveEnlarge Map
    In his address from the White House, Mr Bush said that the last few weeks had been "rough for our troops in Iraq, and for the Iraqi people.
    "Our goal in Iraq is clear and unchanging," he said. "Our goal is victory. What is changing are the tactics we use to achieve that goal.""Our goal in Iraq is clear and unchanging," he said. "Our goal is victory. What is changing are the tactics we use to achieve that goal."
    He said the insurgents were fighting a media war and were attempting to drive a wedge between the American people and their government.He said the insurgents were fighting a media war and were attempting to drive a wedge between the American people and their government.
    And he acknowledged that a two-month-old security operation to stabilise Baghdad had not gone as planned.
    Pressure
    In the US, leaders of the opposition Democrat Party have sought to put further pressure on Mr Bush by calling for the start of a phased withdrawal of US troops from Iraq by the end of the year.In the US, leaders of the opposition Democrat Party have sought to put further pressure on Mr Bush by calling for the start of a phased withdrawal of US troops from Iraq by the end of the year.
    Iraq has turned into a failed state. It's high time Bush and his followers acknowledged their failed policies and left Iraqis alone to sort out the mess that the invasion caused Willy KisituWroclaw, Poland href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=4371&edition=1" class="">Your views on Iraq They also want the president to convene an international conference to support what they call a political settlement in Iraq. They also want the president to convene an international conference to support what they call a political settlement in Iraq.
    Amid the mounting domestic pressure for a change of strategy in Iraq, Mr Bush was consulting on tactics with Gen John Abizaid, the top US commander in the Middle East, and Gen George Casey, the leader of the US-led coalition in Iraq.
    White House spokesman Tony Snow said the meeting was one of a series of regular consultations and had been scheduled "for weeks".
    According to the US military, there has been a 22% rise in attacks in Baghdad this month.
    With 73 US soldiers killed so far, October is on course to become the deadliest month for US forces in Iraq for two years.