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| Bush 'serious concern' over Iraq | |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| US President George W Bush has said the recent upsurge in violence in Iraq is a "serious concern", warning that success there is vital in the war on terror. | |
| He said the goals in Iraq had not changed, but said the US was "adapting its tactics" to combat the unrest. | |
| He warned that if Iraq became a failed state, extremists could gain access to oil wealth and launch fresh attacks. | |
| His comments come two weeks ahead of crucial mid-term elections, amid public dissatisfaction over policy in Iraq. | His comments come two weeks ahead of crucial mid-term elections, amid public dissatisfaction over policy in Iraq. |
| Speaking at a press conference at the White House, Mr Bush said recent events, including the deaths of 93 US troops and more than 300 Iraqi security personnel, along with acts of "unspeakable violence" against civilians, were of "serious concern" to him. | |
| But he warned that if the US was not successful in Iraq, extremists could use it as a base from which to try to establish a "radical empire from Spain to Indonesia". | |
| Mr Bush said that he was "making it clear that America's patience is not unlimited" with regards to Iraqi government efforts to gain control of the security situation, particularly tackling Shia death squads. | |
| But he said that at the same time the US authorities would not "put more pressure on the Iraqi government than it can bear". | |
| But despite the problems in Iraq, Mr Bush assured Americans that they could have "confidence that we will prevail". |