Bush marks fifth anniversary of US-led invasion of Iraq
Wednesday, 19 Mar 2008 20:06
George Bush made the speech marking the fifth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq
US president George Bush has delivered a speech reaffirming his country's commitment to fighting the war on terrorism.
Mr Bush's speech at the Pentagon marked the fifth anniversary of the US-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003.
He defended his decision to send troops into Iraq, claiming that it had been a right one.
"Removing Saddam Hussein from power was the right decision, and this is a fight American can and must win," he said.
Over 4,000 men and women have died in the Iraq war and Mr Bush claimed the best way of honouring those killed was to "make sure their sacrifice was not in vain".
Mr Bush declared that the US would "accept no outcome but victory". He re-affirmed his commitment to Iraq and declared: "The battle in Iraq will end in victory."
The US president claimed that his so-called troop surge in January last year had had a profound effect in Iraq and in the global war against terrorism.
"The surge has done more than turn the situation in Iraq around; it has opened the door to a major strategic victory in the broader war on terror," he said.
He said that since the surge began violence in Iraq was down, civilian deaths were down as were attacks on US forces.
The US president turned on those in Washington who criticised his Iraq policy and claimed that before the troop surge the violence in the country was heading towards genocidal levels and descending into full-blown sectarian warfare.
Mr Bush claimed that Iraq had transformed from a region where al-Qaida terrorists rallied Arab masses to drive America out to a place where "Arabs joined with Americans to drive al-Qaida out".
Support for the Iraq war has considerably fallen in recent years. A CNN poll conducted over the weekend showing only 32 per cent of Americans supported the war with 66 per cent now opposing it.