Bush defends new Iraq plan

U.S. President George W. Bush on Saturday launched a strong defense of his new strategy on Iraq, and asked those opposed to the plan "to offer an alternative that has a better chance for success."

In his weekly radio address, Bush said sectarian violence was the main obstacle to a political solution in Iraq, and "the best way to help the Iraqis reach this solution is to help them put down this violence."

He said only the Iraqis could end the sectarian violence in the Middle East country and secure their people. "But they need our help, and it is in our interests to provide that help," he said.

The new strategy, which was unveiled Wednesday, included sending 21,500 additional U.S. troops to Iraq to help quell violence in the war-torn country.

The president said his plan would help the Iraqis in four main areas -- help them to secure their capital; step up the fight against al-Qaida in its home base in Iraq; hold the Iraqi government to benchmarks it has announced; and expand military and diplomatic efforts to bolster the security of Iraq and protect American interests in the Middle East.

"Members of Congress have a right to express their views, and express them forcefully," Bush said of the Democratic and some Republican lawmakers' opposition to his plan for deploying additional troops to Iraq.

"But those who refuse to give this plan a chance to work have an obligation to offer an alternative that has a better chance for success. To oppose everything while proposing nothing is irresponsible," he said.

Democrats, meanwhile, maintained their opposition to Bush's plan and vowed to conduct "meaningful oversight" over his Iraq policy.

"Let us be very clear. We need diplomatic and political solutions in Iraq, not more American troops," Minnesota Representative Tim Walz said Saturday in the Democratic response to Bush's radio address.

"The escalation announced by the president will compound a bad situation and make matters worse, not better. It will make us less secure, not more. It is a step in the wrong direction -- more of the same at the very time, when we need a new direction in Iraq," he said.

Source: Xinhua