US says no to Iraq withdrawal

2005-06-16 21:01

Washington - The White House on Thursday firmly rejected calls by a bipartisan group of politicians to set a date for withdrawing US forces from Iraq, but acknowledged concerns about the situation there.

"It would be absolutely the wrong message to send to set some sort of artificial timetable," said Scott McClellan, chief spokesman for US President George W Bush.

"That would be the wrong message to send to the terrorists. It would be the wrong message to send to the Iraqi people. And it would be the wrong message to send to our troops," McClellan told reporters.

Majority want withdrawal

Recent polls have shown a majority of Americans wants to see at least a partial withdrawal of US forces in Iraq, and the White House says Bush plans a series of public remarks to try to shore up support for the campaign there.

"People are concerned about the situation in Iraq. There are scores of troops that we have in harm's way, and there are many families here at home that want to see those troops come home and come home soon," said McClellan.

"We want to, too. The president wants to see the troops come home soon," he said. "But the best way to honor the service and sacrifice of our men and women in uniform is to complete the mission."

Four lawmakers, including failed Democratic presidential hopeful, have unveiled a plan to propose that Congress require Bush to develop by the end of this year a plan to begin withdrawing US troops from Iraq in October 2006.

Polls have shown an erosion of public support for the Iraq war, in which more than 1,700 US troops have died, amid delays in the process of creating a new Iraqi government and persistent insurgent attacks.

- AFP