By Matt Spetalnick
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush said onWednesday he had no regrets about the unpopular war in Iraqdespite the "high cost in lives and treasure" and declared thatthe United States was on track for victory.
Marking the fifth anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion witha touch of the swagger he showed early in the war, Bush said ina speech at the Pentagon, "The successes we are seeing in Iraqare undeniable."
With less than 11 months left in office and his approvalratings near the lows of his presidency, Bush is trying toshore up support for the Iraq campaign, which has damaged U.S.credibility abroad and is sure to define his legacy.
But he faced the challenge of winning back the attention ofwar-weary Americans more preoccupied with mounting economictroubles and increasingly focused on the race to pick hissuccessor in the November election.
Bush's Democratic critics used the anniversary to pressaccusations that the Republican president launched the invasionbased on faulty intelligence, mismanaged the war and failed toput together an exit strategy.
"Five years into this battle, there is an understandabledebate over whether the war was worth fighting, whether thefight is worth winning, and whether we can win it," Bush toldan audience of top military officers and Pentagon employees.
"The answers are clear to me: Removing Saddam Hussein frompower was the right decision, and this is a fight America canand must win," he said.
Rejecting calls from Democratic presidential candidatesHillary Clinton and Barack Obama for a timetable for earlywithdrawal, Bush touted security gains from a troop build-up or"surge" he ordered last year. He insisted that "retreat" wouldembolden al Qaeda and Iran and put the United States at risk.
"The surge has done more than turn the situation in Iraqaround -- it has opened the door to a major strategic victoryin the broader war on terror," Bush said, hailing increasedcooperation of Iraqi Sunnis in fighting al Qaeda.
Such an assertion could come back to haunt Bush if thesituation deteriorates. War critics have roundly mocked Bushfor his premature declaration in May 2003 that "major combatoperations" in Iraq were over as he stood on the USS AbrahamLincoln under a banner reading "Mission Accomplished."
UPBEAT BUT TEMPERED ASSESSMENT
Bush stopped short of promising outright victory, as he hadearlier before sectarian violence swept Iraq last year. "No onewould argue that this war has not come at a high cost in livesand treasure, but those costs are necessary," he said.
The war has cost the United States $500 billion. Tens ofthousands of Iraqis have been killed and millions displaced.Nearly 4,000 U.S. soldiers have been killed, as well as 175British troops and 134 from other countries.
A Washington Post-ABC News poll showed nearly two-thirds ofAmericans believe the war was not worth waging.
Told about the poll in an interview on ABC's "Good MorningAmerica," Vice President Dick Cheney, in Oman after a visit toIraq, said dismissively: "So?"
Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said, "The cost toour national security has been immense -- our military isstretched thin and our reputation in the world is damaged."
Scattered anti-war protests were staged in U.S. cities. InWashington, 32 people were arrested for blocking entry to theInternal Revenue Service and a few dozen noisy demonstratorsshouted antiwar slogans outside the White House gates.
Bush, who had strong public support after the al Qaedaattacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, has longcalled Iraq as a central front against Islamic extremists. ButDemocrats say his administration has been distracted from whatthey see as a more important struggle in Afghanistan.
In his speech, Bush hailed the increased role of IraqiSunnis in the fight against Sunni Islamist al Qaeda as the"first large-scale Arab uprising against Osama bin Laden, hisgrim ideology, and his murderous network."
Absent from Bush's speech was any mention of the Iraqigovernment's record on sectarian reconciliation, an area inwhich there has been only halting progress.
Violence across Iraq has dropped 60 percent since 30,000extra U.S. troops became fully deployed in June. But a recentspate of attacks showed that Iraq was far from safe.
Bush's speech was his second in lead-up to the next statusreport Iraq commander Gen. David Petraeus will give to Congressin early April. The military will complete the withdrawal ofabout 20,000 troops by July, leaving about 140,000 in Iraq.
Bush reiterated any decision on bringing more troops homewould depend on recommendations from commanders on the ground.
(Editing by Eric Walsh)
