Bush: Iraq is no Vietnam

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Faced with mounting casualties in Iraq (news - web sites) and dwindling public support for his foreign policy, President Bush (news - web sites) on Tuesday rejected comparisons to the Vietnam war and pledged to send additional U.S. troops to Iraq if American military commanders request them.


In a rare prime-time news conference, the president insisted he would turn over control of the Arab nation to Iraqis by June 30, the target date his administration set months ago, even though he acknowledged he did not know yet who would assume power then. Despite a difficult security situation in Iraq, Bush reaffirmed his commitment to an ambitious schedule of elections that would produce a constitution and government by the end of next year.


Speaking when more than 80 American troops have been killed and more than 560 wounded within two weeks, Bush blamed the escalating violence in Iraq on a small group of terrorists and said U.S. troops would stay in Iraq as long as necessary.


"There is an historic opportunity here to change the world, and it's very important for the loved ones of our troops to understand that the mission is an important, vital mission for the security of America and for the ability to change the world for the better," the president said.

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