Bush Digs In On Iraq

President Bush, trying to dispel rising doubts about the war, declared Monday night the United States will stay in Iraq until it is free and democratic - implying that more U.S. soldiers might have to be sent to stop enemy forces bent on destroying a new government.

"There are difficult days ahead and the way forward may sometimes appear chaotic," he said. "The terrorists and Saddam loyalists would rather see many Iraqis die than have any live in freedom. But terrorists will not determine the future of Iraq."

A few hours after Mr. Bush's speech, reports surfaced of another administration move to shore up its position on Iraq. According to the New York Times and Washington Post, the current top U.S. officer in Iraq, Army Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, will soon be replaced by a full general. Gen. George Casey, the Army's No. 2 officer as vice chief of staff, is said to be in line for the post.

Speaking at the U.S. Army War College Monday night, Mr. Bush outlined five steps that he said would help Iraq achieve democracy and freedom: transferring authority to a sovereign new Iraqi government on June 30, helping establish security in areas still gripped by chaos, urging broader international support, reconstructing the country and setting up national elections.

"Completing the five steps to Iraqi elected self-government will not be easy," said the president. "There is likely to be violence before the transfer of sovereignty and after the transfer of sovereignty."

Mr. Bush said that the United States would keep its troop level at the current 138,000 as long as necessary. "If they need more troops, I will send them," said the president, adding that commanders are constantly reassessing the situation.

President Bush also promised to demolish the Abu Ghraib prison that has become an ugly symbol of the U.S. occupation.

Reacting to the speech, Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry said Mr. Bush broke no new ground in his remarks. "What's most important now," said the Massachusetts senator, "is to turn these words into action by offering presidential leadership to the nation and to the world. That's going to require the president to genuinely reach out to our allies so the United States doesn't have to continue to go it alone and to create the stability necessary to allow the people of Iraq to move forward."

The president spoke for slightly over 30 minutes in a gymnasium converted to a speech hall. The basketball nets were retracted and a makeshift stage was assembled, complete with TelePrompTer. Hundreds of uniformed military personnel listened respectfully, applauding several times.

With nearly 800 U.S. soldiers killed so far in Iraq, President Bush warned that the violence would continue.

He talked of the assassination this month of the president of the Iraqi Governing Council, Izzadine Saleem, and the beheading of American civilian Nicholas Berg. But he continued to express his resolve, saying, "No power of the enemy will stop Iraq's progress."

He said coalition forces and Iraqis have the same enemies: terrorists, illegal militia and loyalists of Saddam Hussein.

"History is moving, and it will tend toward hope or tend toward tragedy," he said. "We will persevere and defeat this enemy and hold this hard-won ground for the realm of liberty."

He took note of the abuse of Iraqi prisoners by U.S. soldiers, saying that the prison that was a symbol of death and torture under Saddam Hussein "became a symbol of disgraceful conduct by a few American troops who dishonored our country and disregarded our values."

Mr. Bush said the United States would pay to demolish the prison and build a new one.

The president's speech coincided with the unveiling of a new U.N. resolution by the United States and Britain endorsing the June 30 handover of political power in Iraq and authorizing a U.S.-led multinational force to keep the peace. The draft resolution urges nations to send troops for an international force - something the administration is anxious to see, with American troops stretched thin.

Mr. Bush got a fresh reminder Monday on the challenge of maintaining his coalition. He spoke with President-elect Leonel Fernandez of the Dominican Republic. That country pulled its troops out of Iraq this month.

Nearly 800 U.S. service members have died since the beginning of military operations in Iraq last year, according to the Pentagon. And more than 5,500 Iraqi civilians have died violently in Baghdad and three provinces in the past year, an Associated Press count says.

For his speech, the president chose an audience of 450 people meant to highlight his image as commander in chief. The war college trains Army leaders on strategy, military science and other aspects of defense.
While the military has been strongly supportive of Mr. Bush during his presidency, some in the command chain and some retired military officers have become increasingly vocal in their criticism of President Bush's handling of Iraq.

Retired Gen. Anthony Zinni, who once commanded forces in the Iraq region, said low troop numbers have contributed to the Iraqi insurgency. "Somebody screwed up. And at this level and at this stage, it should be evident to everybody that they've screwed up," Zinni said.

White House spokesman Scott McClellan said the president has great respect for Zinni, but Zinni is a retired general and the president looks to "commanders on the ground" to determine military requirements.

A CBS News poll indicates that violence in Iraq has helped push the Bush approval rating to a new low.

The poll, released Monday, found 61 percent of Americans disapprove of the president's handling of Iraq and 65 percent worry that the country is on the wrong track.

The survey also shows clearly that Americans now view the war in Iraq as the most important issue in the 2004 presidential election.

"I don't think there is any doubt about it, [the election] is about Iraq now," Stu Rothenberg, editor of the nonpartisan Rothenberg Political Report, told CBSNews.com Chief Political Writer David Paul Kuhn.

"If it was about the economy, the president would be in pretty good shape. For right now, he is operating out of great weakness in Iraq, which means he really needs some good news to come out of there," he said.