Iraqi PM: 'Thank You America'

Offering a simple, "Thank you America," Iraqi interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi declared Thursday that his country is succeeding in its effort to move past the war that ousted Saddam Hussein.

In an appearance that President Bush's advisers hoped would ease American voters' doubts about the troubled campaign in Iraq, Allawi told a joint meeting of Congress that despite struggles and setbacks, "the values of liberty and democracy" are taking hold there.

"Today, we are better off, you are better off, the world is better off without Saddam Hussein," Allawi said. He added: "Your decision to go into Iraq was not an easy one, but it was the right one."

Allawi's two-day visit comes as troop casualties and civilian kidnappings in Iraq have increased, large parts of the country have come under the control of insurgents and doubts have surfaced at the United Nations that democratic elections can be held in January as planned.

"We Iraqis know that Americans have made and continue to make enormous sacrifices to liberate Iraq, to assure Iraq's freedom," Allawi said. "I have come here to thank you and to promise you that your sacrifices are not in vain."

Allawi's speech, one of his first to a wide audience outside Iraq, was warmly received by U.S. lawmakers. He sought to tie the struggle in Iraq to the larger fight against global terrorism, echoing one of Mr. Bush's campaign themes.

Declaring himself "a realist," Allawi said he was trying to broaden the political process, drawing in as many Iraqi entities as possible, in an effort to weaken the insurgency.

After his address, Allawi was heading to the White House for a meeting with President Bush, where the two leaders were to assert from the White House Rose Garden that progress is being made and the future is bright in Iraq.

Lawmakers praised Allawi's presentation. "It was filled with promise and hope and strength," said Rep. Mike Castle, R-Del. "He accomplished the goal of stressing the positives," while acknowledging that difficulties remains, said Sen. Lincoln Chafee, R-R.I.

"He said what he had to say," said Rep. Ike Skelton of Missouri, the senior Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee. "It was optimistic... It was very positive." But, Skelton added, "I would feel better if the Iraqi people would express their gratitude and stop harboring those insurgents. That's the way to express gratitude to America."

An assessment of Iraq's future put together recently by U.S. intelligence officials spoke of possibilities ranging from tenuous stability to civil war, and even some Republican senators have said there is a need for more candid talk from the White House.

Gen. John Abizaid said Wednesday it was possible that more U.S. troops would be needed to secure Iraq's elections, but that Iraqi and perhaps international troops may be able to do the job instead.

"I think we will need more troops than we currently have," Abizaid, commander of U.S. troops in the region, said after briefing the House.

Mr. Bush has made clear that the importance of Allawi's visit lies largely in the opportunity for the Iraqi leader to reinforce for Americans the president's own confident assessment of Iraq.

"The American people have seen horrible scenes on our TV screens," the president said Tuesday when the two leaders appeared together at the U.N. General Assembly meeting in New York. "And the prime minister will be able to say to them that in spite of the sacrifices being made, in spite of the fact that Iraqis are dying and U.S. troops are dying, as well, that there is a will amongst the Iraqi people to succeed."

Allawi's visit marked his debut in Washington as prime minister, a post the skilled politician, who returned to Iraq last year after 30 years in exile, was appointed to by a U.N. envoy with strong U.S. backing. It was also the highlight of a weeklong Bush administration effort to showcase what is going right in Iraq.