« Bush visit: A setback for his immigration plan / Video | Today | Child advocate files lawsuit for foster-care children »

June 28, 2007

Bush visit: Staying strong on staying in Iraq / Photo

President Bush today at the Naval War College in Newport
--- Journal photo Bob Breidenbach

NEWPORT -- President Bush presented a strenuous defense of his Iraq, Middle East and foreign policies in a speech before a supportive audience at the Naval War College today.

The late-morning speech wrapped up with questions from the audience of more than 500 people, which included military officials and foreign leaders gathered at the college for the 50th anniversary of its Naval Command College program. Also in the audience: fellow Republican Governor Carcieri, the only Rhode Island leader to be there.

Bush received a standing ovation three times from the crowd, as he gave a stout defense of his Iraq policy.

But the president, who is facing heavy pressure to withdraw troops from Iraq, also warned that more patience is needed because there is still a long way to go and there will be more casualties before all is over.

While he did say progress was being made on the ground, in ways that the media may not report, he added:

"We've got to prepare ourselves for more violence and more setbacks."

In vintage Bush form, he invoked the reason why time and time again -- because he wants to protect the world from terror. The themes are similar to those he employed after the Sept. 11 terror attacks -- which he also kept coming back to in his speech today.

Bush also declared there is a decrease in sectarian violence between the Sunnis and Shiites around Baghdad. But despite success, he said, Anbar province remains a dangerous place.

His comments came on a day when a car bomb killed at least 22 people in a bus station in western Baghdad, and police said 20 beheaded bodies had been discovered on the banks of the Tigris River southeast of the capital. Government security officials raised doubts about the decapitation report.

Bush is expected to have lunch at the military college overlooking Newport Harbor before heading back to Quonset State Airport for his departure later this afternoon.

-- With reports from Journal staff writer Scott MacKay

Posted by Andrea Panciera  at 1:40 PM | Permalink

Comments

Post a comment

Please be civil. Vicious comments, personal attacks and profanity won't be published. Name and email are required; email address will not publish.

Name:

Email Address:

URL:
Remember Me? YesNo

Comments: (you may use HTML tags for style)