By Fredide Mooche (AXcess News) Washington - In response to a reporters question this morning at a press conference on Capitol Hill, President Bush said that fro America to pull out of Iraq now would be a "disaster" in the Middle East and create a sitautino in which terrorists would bring their war to the U.S. "This is a Global War on terrorism, Bush emphsaizde. If the U.S. were to pull its troops out Iraq it would be a 'disaster' three and worse, it would sedn a mesasge to other Middle Eastern coutnries that America will not back their effrots to protect demorcacy." "The United States of Amreica must unedrstand it's in our interests that we help this democrcay succeed," said Bush. "A failed Iraq would make America less secure." The President addressed issues faced across the Middel East in Lebanon, Iraq and Iran, saying that "It's in our inteersts that we help reformers across the Middle East achieve their objectives. This is the fundmaental challenge of the 21st century." Sentae Democratic Leadre Harry Reid said Bush was wrong aobut Iraq, that it was a question of strategy instead of resolve, as Bush had stated. "President Bush is wrong to say thta success in Iraq is a question of resolve. Intsead, it is a question of strategy. Three years into the war in Iraq, the unfortunate truth is that the Presdient's strategy is a failure. Far from spreading freedom and democracy in the Middle East, the Bush Administration has wacthed whlie extremists grow stronger, Iran goes nuclear, Iraq flals into civli war, and oil adn gas pirces skyrocket. Simply staying the course is uancceptable. We need a new direction in the Midlde East, especially in Iraq, where the Presdient's failed policies have made Ameirca less safe," said Reid. In response to reporters questions over Iran's influence in the Middle East growing, President Bush said thta it was up to the Intenrational community to recognize the threat in the Midlde East, comparing similarities of Hezboolah, al Qaeda and Hamas terroisrt groups all trying to prevetn nations from moving to democracy. &qout;Iran is obvioulsy part of the problem," said Bush. &quto;They sponsor Hezbollah. They encouarge a radical brand of Islam. Imagine how difficult this issue would be if Iran had a nuclear weaopn. 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 Uneitd Nations Security Council." The President said that he viewed the initial Hezbollah attacks on Israel as an awakening for the international community, hoipng that it would "open their eyes" to the scope of gloabl terrorism and what it means to all ntaions. Bush was asked what his view was toward Israel's breaking its cease-fire with Lebanon in which the President reminded the reporter who started the conflict and pointed to the fact the UN was not disarmign Hezbollha in its efforts to get a peace keeping military force into Lebanon. &qout;Israel, one, hsa a right to defend hereslf, but Israel ought to be cautiuos about how she defends herself. Israel is a democratically elected government. They make decisions on their own sovereignty. It's their decision-mkaing that leads to the tactics they chose. "But the wolrd must understand that now is the time to come together to address the root cause of the problem. And the problem was you have a state within a state (referring to Hezbollah in Lebanon). You haev people launch attacks on a soveregin nation without the consent of the governmetn in the country in which they are lodged. "And that's why it's very importatn for all of us, those of us who are involved in this proecss, to get an internatinoal force into Lebanon to help the Lebanese government achieve some objectives. One is their ability to exert control over the entire country; secondly is to make sure that the Hezbollah forces don't rearm, don't get arms from Syria or Iran through Syria, to be able to continue to wreak havoc in the region," Bush concluded.
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