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Bush 'serious concern' over Iraq Success in Iraq vital, says Bush
(about 1 hour 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.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.
"I know many Americans are not satisfied with the situation in Iraq," he said. "I'm not satisfied either"."I know many Americans are not satisfied with the situation in Iraq," he said. "I'm not satisfied either".
He warned that if Iraq became a failed state, extremists could gain access to oil wealth and launch fresh attacks.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 unease over US 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. In what the BBC's Justin Webb in Washington says is an unusual departure from normal practice, the US president began the press conference at the White House by outlining recent setbacks in Iraq.
He said the deaths of 93 US troops and 300 Iraqi security personnel in the last month were of "serious concern" to him.
Mr Bush said the US would "prevail"Civilians had suffered "unspeakable violence at the hands of the terrorists, insurgents, illegal militias, armed groups and criminals," he said.
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".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".
He said the goals in Iraq had not changed, but said the US was "adapting its tactics" to combat the unrest. With opinion polls showing growing doubt over the US role in Iraq, Mr Bush said: "We cannot allow our dissatisfaction to turn into disillusionment about our purpose in this war."
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. "We're winning and we will win, unless we leave before the job is done," he said.
He said the administration's goals there had not changed, but that the US was "adapting its tactics".
Iraqi role
In recent days senior Bush administration figures have increased pressure on the Iraqi government to rein in militias and death squads.
Mr Bush said that he was "making it clear that America's patience is not unlimited".
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 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". He also said the US would continue to support Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki as long as he continued to make "tough decisions".
Earlier, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki pledged to "strike hard" at illegal militias, which are widely blamed for the growing sectarian violence in Iraq.
But he insisted he was working to his own timetable, not a US-imposed deadline for improving security.
He was also critical of what he described as a lack of co-ordination with coalition forces over a raid in Baghdad's Sadr City that resulted in four deaths.
Anger over raid
US aircraft were called in for back-up after Iraqi special forces came under fire in Sadr City, a stronghold of the Mehdi army militia. They were trying to capture the commander of an armed group who directed death squads, a US military statement said.
The military said "precision gunfire" was used "only to eliminate the enemy threat".
But Iraqi police said US troops shot at them while they were trying to take injured people to hospital.
At least four people were killed and about 15 injured, provoking anger in Sadr City.