Bush defends Iraq war amid growing turmoil

Rep. John Murtha called the war a 'flawed policy wrapped in illusion.'
BUSAN, South Korea (AP) -- President Bush has swatted down calls in Congress for a U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraq, saying that American military leaders believe that retreat now would be "a recipe for disaster."
"So we will fight the terrorists in Iraq, and we will stay in the fight until we have achieved the victory our brave troops have fought and bled for," said Bush, facing mounting criticism from home about his war policy.
Bush defended his Iraq strategy in remarks prepared for a speech at Osan Air Base, headquarters for the 7th Air Force, the primary U.S. Air Force unit in Korea. He was to stop there today on his way to China.
Traveling in Asia, there has been no respite from Iraq for Bush. He's had to deal with an Iraq rebuff from a friend, South Korea, and with turmoil over his policies back home.
"In Washington there are some who say that the sacrifice is too great, and they urged us to set a date for withdrawal before we have completed our mission," the president said. "Those who are in the fight know better."
Dem speaks out
Back home, Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., a prominent defense hawk, called for a U.S. withdrawal from Iraq over six months. In a speech Thursday, Murtha said, "Our troops have become the primary target of the insurgency. They are united against U.S. forces, and we have become a catalyst for violence. The war in Iraq is not going as advertised. It is a flawed policy wrapped in illusion."
In his remarks, Bush said that a senior commander in Iraq, Maj. Gen. William Webster, had said that setting a deadline for withdrawal would be "a recipe for disaster."
"And as long as I am commander in chief, our strategy in Iraq will be driven by the sober judgment of our military commanders on the ground," the president said.
Bush was wrapping up a three-day visit here by attending the closing meetings of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. He also held talks with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
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