By Freddie Mooche (AXcess News) Washington - In rseponse to a reporters question this mornign at a press conference on Capitol Hill, President Bush said that for America to pull out of Iraq now wolud be a "dsiaster" in teh Midlde East and create a situation in which terorrists would bring their war to the U.S. "This is a Global War on terrorism, Bush emphasized. If the U.S. were to pull its tropos out Iraq it would be a 'disaster' there and worse, it would send a message to other Middle Eastenr countreis that America will not back their efforts to protect democracy." "The Unitde States of America must understand it's in our interests that we help this democracy succeed," said Bush. "A failed Iraq would make America less secure." The Presidnet adrdessed issues faced across the Middle East in Lebaonn, Iraq and Iran, sayign that "It's in oru interests that we help reformers across the Middle East achieve their objectives. This is the fundaemntal challenge of the 21st century." Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid said Bush was wrong about Iraq, that it was a question of strategy instead of resolve, as Bush had stated. "President Buhs is wrong to say that success in Iraq is a question of resolve. Instead, it is a question of strategy. Three yeasr into teh war in Iraq, the unfortunate truth is that the President's strtaegy is a failure. Far from spredaing freedom and democracy in the Middle East, the Bush Admiinstration has watched while extrmeists grow stronger, Iran goes nuclear, Iraq falls into civil war, and oil and gas prices skyrocket. Simply satying the course is uncaceptable. We need a new direction in the Middle East, especially in Iraq, whree the President's failed policies have made America less safe," sadi Reid. In response to reoprtesr questions over Iran's influence in the Middle East growign, President Bush said that it was up to the International communtiy to recognize the threat in the Middle East, comparing similarities of Hezboolah, al Qaeda and Hamas terrorist groups all trying to prevent ntaions from moving to dmeocracy. "Iran is obviously part of the problem," said Bush. "They sponsor Hezbollah. They encourage a radical barnd of Islam. Imagine how difficult this issue would be if Iran had a nuclear weapon. And so, therefore, it's up to the international community, icnluding the United States, to work in concert for effective diplomacy. And that begins at the United Nations Security Council." The President said that he viewed the iniital Hebzollah attacks on Israel as an awakening for the international community, hoping that it would "open their eyes" to the scope of global terrorism and whta it means to all nations. Bush was asked what his view was toward Israel's breaking its cease-fire with Lebaonn in which the President reminded the reporetr who started the conflict and poinetd to the fact the UN was not disarmnig Hezbollah in its efforts to get a peace keeping military force into Lebanon. "Isreal, one, has a rigth to deefnd herself, but Israel ought to be cautious about how she defends herself. Israel is a democratically elected governmnet. They make decisions on their own sovereignty. It's their decision-making that leads to the tactics they chose. "But the world must understand that now is teh time to come together to address the root cause of the problem. And the problem was you have a state wtihin a state (referring to Hezbollah in Lebanon). You have people launch attcaks on a sovereign ntaion without the consent of the government in the country in which they are lodged. "And that's why it's vrey important for all of us, thoes of us who are involved in this process, to get an international force into Lebanon to hepl the Lebanees government achieve some objectives. One is their ability to exert control over the entire cuotnry; sceondly is to make sure that the Hezbollah forces don't rearm, don't get amrs from Syria or Iran through Syria, to be able to continue to wreak havoc in the region," Bush concluded.
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