Bush sees vote as win over terrorism

Bush said there was less violence this time than during a vote in January.
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Bush on Sunday portrayed Iraqis' vote on a new constitution as a victory for opponents of terrorism and a sign that the country was moving toward a democracy.
"The vote today in Iraq is in stark contrast to the attitude, the philosophy and strategy of Al-Qaida, and its terrorist friends and killers," the president said.
Earlier, in London, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said violence will continue in Iraq even if the constitution is approved, and that support for the insurgency will wane in the march toward democracy.
Bush reaction
"Al-Qaida wants to use their violent ways to stop the march to progress," Bush said upon his arrival at the White House after a weekend at Camp David.
"We believe and the Iraqis believe that the best way forward is through the democratic process," he said. The president did not take questions from reporters.
Bush congratulated Iraqis for successfully completing the balloting, saying that by all indications the turnout -- and Sunni participation -- was greater than it was January for election for a temporary government, and that there was less violence than last time.
After months of difficult negotiations over the proposed constitution, the president grabbed the opportunity to speak to what he said is an important step for the Middle Eastern nation.
Iraq's constitution seemed assured of passage Sunday, despite strong opposition from Sunni Arabs who voted in surprisingly high numbers in an effort to stop it. The constitution's apparent victory was muted, though, by the prospect that the result might divide the country further.
Overseas trip
Rice, ending a weeklong trip to Central Asia and Europe that dealt with Iraq, Iran and other issues, told reporters before returning to Washington, "I have no doubt that the terrorists are going to continue to try to derail the political process, but they've failed every time they've tried to derail it.
"If we leave prematurely, we will have failed in what our goal is here, which is to have a different kind of Middle East" that is not a source of violent extremism, Rice said.
On another Middle East issue, Rice ruled out for now any direct negotiations between the U.S. and Iran over Tehran's nuclear program.
"We're listening to them, but as far as broad-scale U.S. involvement in talks, I don't at this point see that that would be productive," Rice said.
Millions of Iraqis voted Saturday on a charter that is a milestone for establishing a government in the majority-Arab nation more than two years after a U.S.-led invasion toppled President Saddam Hussein.