Bush regrets Iraq intelligence "failure"

Regrets? George Bush has at least one

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Tuesday, 02, Dec 2008 10:39

Outgoing US president George Bush has admitted his biggest regret is the "intelligence failure in Iraq".

Mr Bush ousted Saddam Hussein from the country in 2003 in a bid to rid the world of the threat of the dictator's weapons of mass destruction.

None were ever found and the US military was faced with a growing insurgency and sectarian violence only brought under control thanks to Mr Bush's troop surge of 2007.

In an interview on ABC's World News with Charlie Gibson programme, Mr Bush said: "The biggest regret of all the presidency has to have been the intelligence failure in Iraq."

He pointed out "a lot of people put their reputations on the line" including members in Congress and other leaders around the world.

"That's not a do-over, but I wish the intelligence had been different, I guess," he said.

Mr Bush pledged to continue working with the incoming Democrat administration of president-elect Barack Obama amid the current economic crisis.

He added: "This is a very unique period in American history where a new president is coming in where we are fighting a two-front war against terrorists and, at the same time, dealing with a very difficult economic situation. And the more we can work together, the better off our country will be."

And, despite enduring years of low approval ratings, Mr Bush insisted he had enjoyed his time in the Oval Office.

"I think people look at the White House and say 'oh man, what a miserable experience it is to be president'," he continued.

"A lot of noise, a lot of criticism… but I think people would be surprised to walk into the Oval Office and the White House to see a highly motivated group of people… every day's been pretty joyous."

Mr Obama will be inaugurated on January 20th next year.