Bush: We'll keep attacking

2005-08-23 08:18

Salt Lake City - Amid growing calls for a US withdrawal from Iraq, US President George W Bush fought back on Monday with a warning that "a policy of retreat and isolation will not bring us safety".

After a rare specific reference to the 1 864 US soldiers killed in Iraq, Bush said: "We owe them something. We will finish the task that they gave their lives for. We'll honour their sacrifice by staying on the offensive."

"A policy of retreat and isolation will not bring us safety. The only way to defend our citizens where we live is go after the terrorists where they live," the president said in a speech to about 15 000 veterans.

Between 50 and 100 anti-war demonstrators staged a protest outside the convention centre where Bush spoke. They displayed signs reading "Support the Troops, Bring Them Home Now" and "Stop the Illegal War".

Approval

Recent polls showed Bush's approval ratings slumped to some of the lowest levels of his presidency, while a majority says that the March 2003 invasion of Iraq was a mistake, and calls to set a withdrawal timetable are multiplying.

And a small army of demonstrators protesting the war in Iraq - led by Cindy Sheehan, whose soldier son Casey was killed there in 2004 - has drawn widespread media coverage for besieging Bush at his Texas ranch.

Bush, who had kept out of sight since August 13, downplayed deep schisms that plagued Iraqi political leaders' efforts to draft a new constitution, predicting that they would agree on a "landmark" democratic blueprint.

"The establishment of a democratic constitution will be a landmark event in the history of Iraq and the history of the Middle East," he said.

"All of Iraq's main ethnic and religious groups are working together on this vital project. All made the courageous choice to join the political process. And together they will produce a constitution that reflects the values and traditions of the Iraqi people," said Bush.

Midnight

In Baghdad, Iraq's parliament received a draft constitution a few minutes before a midnight deadline. Parliament speaker Hajim al-Hasani said three outstanding issues would be dealt "within three days".

"All parties will work within the next three days to reach an agreement. We will meet in three days to finalise this issue," Hasani said.

Bush said Iraq was a central front of the so-called global war on terrorism he declared in response to the September 11, 2001 attacks, which he blames on Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network.

- AFP