Bush: We're winning in Iraq

2006-10-25 19:41

Washington - US President George W Bush declared on Wednesday "we're winning and we will win" in Iraq, as he defended his handling of the war two weeks before key US elections overshadowed by the conflict.

"We're winning and we will win, unless we leave before the job is done," Bush said at a White House news conference.

The president was attempting to head off criticism from Republicans who fear they will pay a heavy price for the increasingly unpopular war in the November 7 elections.

Bush said he was deeply saddened by the deaths of 91 American soldiers in October, which is on course to become the bloodiest month for US troops since November 2004 when they fought fierce street battles in the western town of Fallujah.

"The events of the past month have been a serious concern to me and a serious concern to the American people," Bush said.

But he said that overcoming the insurgents in Iraq was the key to combating extremism across the Middle East - and he warned that pulling US troops out of the country could lead to atrocities on American soil.

"Defeating the terrorists in Iraq is essential to turning back the cause of extremism in the Middle East," he said.

- AFP