Bush defends Iraq attack
2004-09-21 18:17
New York - President George W Bush defended his decision to invade Iraq in a speech on Tuesday to the United Nations, urging the world community to turn its attention to the fighting the war on terrorism and humanitarian concerns.
He told a subdued UN General Assembly session that the US-led overthrow of Saddam Hussein delivered the Iraqi people from "an outlawed dictator".
Two years after he told the world body that Iraq was a "grave and gathering danger" and challenged delegates to live up to their responsibility, Bush did not dwell on his decision to invade without the consent of the UN Security Council.
Instead, he urged the world community to "fight radicalism and terror with justice and dignity".
Bush said terrorists believe "suicide and murder are justified ... And they act on their beliefs". He cited recent terror acts, including the death of dozens of children held hostage in a school in southern Russia.
"This month in Beslan, we saw once again how the terrorists measure their success in the deaths of the innocent and in the pain of grieving families," the president said. "The Russian children did nothing to deserve such awful suffering."
- AP