[ppi] [ppiindia] Bush Defends Declaring End to Iraq Combat

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Bush Defends Declaring End to Iraq Combat 

WASHINGTON - President Bush (news - web sites) on Friday defended his 
speech a year ago on the deck of an aircraft carrier proclaiming the 
end of major combat in Iraq (news - web sites) and said "we're making 
progress, you bet" in bringing stability to the war-torn country. 

Answering reporters' questions in the White House Rose Garden with 
Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin at his side, Bush said that when 
he spoke aboard carrier U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln he also emphasized 
that "there was still difficult work ahead." 

It will be a year on Saturday since Bush made his carrier speech 
beneath a banner proclaiming "Mission Accomplished" and announced 
that major combat in Iraq was over. Critics have derided the banner's 
declaration as U.S. casualties mounted over the past year, with 
fighting particularly deadly in recent weeks. 

Bush also condemned the apparent mistreatment of some Iraqi 
prisoners, saying, "Their treatment does not reflect the nature of 
the American people. That's not the way we do things in America. I 
didn't like it one bit." 

He was asked about photos showing Iraqi prisoners naked except for 
hoods covering their heads, stacked in a human pyramid, one with a 
slur written in English on his skin. That and other scenes of 
humiliation have led to criminal charges against six American 
soldiers. Arab television stations were leading their newscasts on 
Friday with the photos. 

"I share a deep disgust that those prisoners were treated the way 
they were treated," Bush said. 

As to the carrier speech, Bush said, "A year ago I did give the 
speech from the carrier saying we had achieved an important 
objective, accomplished a mission, which was the removal of Saddam 
Hussein (news - web sites)." 

"And as a result, there are no longer torture chambers or rape rooms 
or mass graves in Iraq. As a result, a friend of terror has been 
removed and now sits in a jail," the president said. 

"We face tough times in Iraq," he said. "And we've had some tough 
fighting because there are people who hate the idea of a free Iraq" 

But, Bush added, "We're making progress, you bet ... Whether it be in 
Fallujah or elsewhere, we will deal with them, those few who are 
stopping the hopes of many." 

Some 128 U.S. troops were killed in combat in April, the bloodiest 
month for U.S. forces in Iraq, while up to 1,200 Iraqis were killed 
during the month. At least 738 U.S. troops have died in Iraq since 
the war began in March 2003. 

There are 138,000 U.S. troops in Iraq and 24,900 troops from 
coalition countries. 

Relations between the United States and Canada were strained last 
year when Ottawa declined to support the U.S.-led war in Iraq. 
However, Canada has a significant military presence in Afghanistan 
(news - web sites), has some troops in the Balkans and Haiti and has 
pledged $300 million for Iraq's reconstruction effort. 

Asked about those tensions, Bush said, "I want Canada doing what it 
feels comfortable doing in Iraq." 

Bush said of Martin, "He understands the danger of terror, he 
understands the opportunity of trade. We share values that are so 
important." 

Of the war casualties, Bush said: "Any time you talk about somebody 
who died in Iraq or in Afghanistan is a moment for me to thank them 
and their families for their sacrifice. And their sacrifice will not 
go in vain, because there will be a free Iraq." 



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