US President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair on Thursday welcomed the recommendations of the bipartisan Iraq Study Group, but the president rejected the idea of withdrawing most combat troops before their work is done, saying the failure to establish a stable and secure Iraq would haunt the US for years.
Appearing in an hour-long news conference with his closest ally in the Iraq war, Bush but was largely noncommittal about the group's 69 recommendations.
He called the report "very constructive" and "worthy of study," but said that neither Congress nor the administration would accept all of the panel's proposals. His policy going forward, Bush reiterated, would rely not just on the study group's report but on recommendations being formulated by the Pentagon, the State Department and the National Security Council.
PHOTO: AFP
While the Iraq Study Group's report described the situation in Iraq as "grave and deteriorating," the president described it as "unsettling." But when a reporter asked whether his description showed that he was "still in denial about how bad things are in Iraq," Bush made his feelings clear.
"Make no mistake about it, I understand how tough it is, sir. I talk to the families" of those who have died, he said.
Blair did not sharply diverge from the president's analysis. He said the report held important points to pursue: the need for the coalition to bolster the Iraqi government, for regional powers to play a greater role, and for Israeli-Palestinian peace to be actively pursued, to ease one of the most acute irritants in the region.
While the study group's report held out almost no hope that the coalition could still achieve a military victory, Bush disagreed.
"I believe we'll prevail," he said.
The report from the 10-member panel, issued on Wednesday, calls for the US to open negotiations on stabilizing Iraq with Syria and Iran.
The proposal was advanced last month by Blair in a major policy speech.
"If people come to the table to discuss Iraq they need to come understanding their responsibilities to not fund terrorists, to help this young democracy survive, to help with the economics of the country," Bush said.
"And if people are not committed," Bush added, "if Syria and Iran is not committed to that concept, then they shouldn't bother to show up."
Blair, for his part, said he felt that the report "offers a strong way forward."
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