By William Branigin
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, December 7, 2005; 2:39 PM
President Bush asserted today that despite insurgent attacks and problems such as corruption, the United States is making "steady progress" in helping Iraq rebuild its economy, and he again rejected political opponents' calls for a timetable to withdraw U.S. troops.
In a speech to the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington, Bush did not directly acknowledge mistakes in U.S. reconstruction efforts, but he conceded that some of those efforts have been "uneven." He said the United States has had to adapt its security and reconstruction policies to make sure it wins "the battle after the battle" in areas recaptured from insurgents and undertakes appropriate economic projects.
Democratic lawmakers responded to the upbeat speech by issuing a report that highlighted shortfalls in Iraq, including high unemployment and inadequate electricity. A summary of the report said that despite the Bush administration's stress on such indicators as new school construction, business openings and cell phone usage, "the simple fact is that basic needs -- jobs, essential services, health care -- remain unmet."
Making the second in a series of speeches designed to shore up flagging public support for his Iraq war policy, Bush pointed to progress in two Iraqi cities -- Najaf and Mosul -- as a model for U.S. and Iraqi efforts to suppress security threats and launch economic projects. The first speech in the series, delivered at the U.S. Naval Academy last week, outlined a strategy for "victory" over the insurgency in Iraq, mainly by training Iraqi security forces. Bush said a speech next week would deal with political developments as Iraq approaches Dec. 15 elections for a new government under the country's recently ratified constitution.
"Iraqis who are disillusioned with their situation are beginning to see a hopeful future for their country," Bush said. "Many who once questioned democracy are coming off the fence. They're choosing the side of freedom.
"This is quiet, steady progress," Bush said. "It doesn't always make the headlines in the evening news. But it's real, and it's important, and it is unmistakable to those who see it close up."
Bush cited a positive report from Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (D-Conn.) after a recent trip to Iraq and quoted the Democrat as saying that while mistakes have been made, he is worried about a bigger, "colossal mistake" if political leaders lose their will and "seize defeat from the jaws of the coming victory."
The president rejected any "artificial deadline" for withdrawing U.S. forces from Iraq, saying this "would endanger the American people, would harm our military and make the Middle East less stable." |
