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| Version 7 | Version 8 |
|---|---|
| Bush says US can succeed in Iraq | Bush says US can succeed in Iraq |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| President George W Bush has said the US mission in Iraq can still succeed, after a report found Iraq had made mixed progress towards key US targets. | President George W Bush has said the US mission in Iraq can still succeed, after a report found Iraq had made mixed progress towards key US targets. |
| Mr Bush said he found cause for optimism in some of the report, particularly in the field of security. | Mr Bush said he found cause for optimism in some of the report, particularly in the field of security. |
| But he conceded Iraq had "much more work to do" to meet political and economic goals. | But he conceded Iraq had "much more work to do" to meet political and economic goals. |
| The report comes amid growing pressure in Congress on the Bush administration to change course in Iraq. | The report comes amid growing pressure in Congress on the Bush administration to change course in Iraq. |
| Mr Bush cautioned that the report was only interim, and said he would only make a decision on US strategy on Iraq once the final report is released in September. | Mr Bush cautioned that the report was only interim, and said he would only make a decision on US strategy on Iraq once the final report is released in September. |
| The BBC's diplomatic correspondent Jonathan Marcus says this was an exercise in buying political time in Washington, where opposition to the war - even among senior Republican statesmen - is growing. | |
| Withdrawal 'risk' | Withdrawal 'risk' |
| Speaking at a news conference, Mr Bush said the US "can succeed in Iraq and I know we must". | Speaking at a news conference, Mr Bush said the US "can succeed in Iraq and I know we must". |
| He said troops would only be withdrawn when conditions were right, "not because pollsters say it'll be good politics". | He said troops would only be withdrawn when conditions were right, "not because pollsters say it'll be good politics". |
| The security situation in Iraq remains complex and extremely challenging Interim report on Iraq href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/middle_east/2007/iraq_surge/default.stm">Monitoring the 'surge' href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/6288420.stm">Iraqi alarm at pull-out debate Mr Bush said pulling troops out too soon "would mean surrendering the future of Iraq to al-Qaeda". | |
| "It would mean increasing the probability that American troops would have to return at some later date to confront an enemy that is even more dangerous," he added. | "It would mean increasing the probability that American troops would have to return at some later date to confront an enemy that is even more dangerous," he added. |
| President Bush also singled out Iran, Syria and the Lebanese Hezbollah movement, accusing them of fomenting violence in Iraq. | President Bush also singled out Iran, Syria and the Lebanese Hezbollah movement, accusing them of fomenting violence in Iraq. |
| Iran, he said, was supplying improvised explosive devices to militants there; Hezbollah was training militants to attack coalition forces in Iraq; and Syria was providing a route for suicide bombers heading for the country. | Iran, he said, was supplying improvised explosive devices to militants there; Hezbollah was training militants to attack coalition forces in Iraq; and Syria was providing a route for suicide bombers heading for the country. |
| Mr Bush said he would send US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defence Secretary Robert Gates to the region in August to muster support for his Iraq strategy. | |
| Mixed results | Mixed results |
| The interim Iraq report, ordered by Congress, says Baghdad has had more military than political success since a US troop surge began in February. | The interim Iraq report, ordered by Congress, says Baghdad has had more military than political success since a US troop surge began in February. |
| KEY BENCHMARKS Amend constitution to tackle regional issuesGive jobs to former ruling party membersPass new law on sharing oil resourcesSecurity forces to be even-handed class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/6294694.stm">Benchmarks in full class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/6295500.stm">Politicians ponder move It says Iraq has made satisfactory progress towards meeting eight targets, but has not done so regarding another eight. | |
| Baghdad has shown mixed results in its progress towards meeting another two goals, it says. | Baghdad has shown mixed results in its progress towards meeting another two goals, it says. |
| The report says the security situation in Iraq remains "complex and extremely challenging". | |
| It says the economic picture is "uneven" and political reconciliation is lagging. | |
| The report says the Iraqi parliament has so far failed to adopt or even begin to debate crucial legislation for the country's oil industry. | |
| It also warns of "tough fighting" during the summer, saying al-Qaeda in Iraq was likely to "increase its tempo of attacks" before the full report in September. | |