WASHINGTON - President Bush sought to reassure Americans Monday night that he has a plan to pull Iraq out of the violence and chaos that have marked the year since he declared an end to major combat. "History is moving, and it will tend toward hope or tend toward tragedy," he said.
Bush promised to demolish Abu Ghraib prison, where Iraqi detainees were abused by U.S. troops. The White House said the prison had become "a symbol of disgraceful conduct by a few American troops who dishonored our country and diregarded our values."
In a prime-time address at the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pa., Bush was outlining a hopeful path amid rising body counts on both sides. His goal was to demonstrate momentum toward the shift of political power to Iraqis in five weeks and the U.S. effort to draw more countries in to combat insurgents and rebuild the country.
"We will persevere and defeat this enemy and hold this hard-won ground for the realm of liberty," he said, according to excerpts released by the White House as Bush prepared to leave for Pennsylvania.
The White House said the United States would keep its troop level at the current 138,000 as long as necessary, promising more if necessary and offering no timetable for bringing soldiers home.
Bush outlined five steps he said would help Iraq achieve democracy and freedom. He said the U.S.-led coalition would hand over authority to a sovereign Iraqi government, help establish security, encourage more international support, continue to rebuild the nation of more than 20 million people and urge national elections.
This is a pivotal time for Bush's drive for re-election as well as for Iraq's future. Five months before election day, his approval ratings have sunk, dragged down by the turmoil in Iraq. The University of Pennsylvania's National Annenberg Election Survey, released Monday, found 64 percent of those surveyed did not believe Bush had a clear plan for Iraq.
His job approval in polls by ABC News-Washington Post and CNN-USA Today-Gallup was 47 percent, near his lowest in those polls. In a CBS News poll out Monday, Bush's job approval was at 41 percent with 52 percent disapproving.
Bush's address coincided with the unveiling of a new U.N. resolution by the United States and Britain endorsing the June 30 handover of political power in Iraq and authorizing a U.S.-led multinational force to keep the peace. The draft resolution urges nations to send troops for an international force - something the Bush administration is anxious to see, with American troops stretched thin.
Bush got a fresh reminder Monday on the challenge of maintaining his coalition. He spoke with President-elect Leonel Fernandez of the Dominican Republic. That country pulled its troops out of Iraq this month.
In his speech Bush said, "America's task in Iraq is not only to defeat an enemy, it is to give strength to a friend, a free, representative government that serves its people and fights on their behalf. And the sooner this goal is achieved, the sooner our job will be done."
Nearly 800 U.S. service members have died since the beginning of military operations in Iraq last year, according to the Pentagon. And more than 5,500 Iraqi civilians have died violently in Baghdad and three provinces in the past year, an Associated Press count says.
For his speech, the president chose an audience of 450 people meant to highlight his image as commander in chief. The war college trains Army leaders on strategy, military science and other aspects of defense.
While the military has been strongly supportive of Bush during his presidency, some in the command chain and some retired military officers have become increasingly vocal in their criticism of Bush's handling of Iraq.
Retired Gen. Anthony Zinni, who once commanded forces in the Iraq region, said low troop numbers have contributed to the Iraqi insurgency. "Somebody screwed up. And at this level and at this stage, it should be evident to everybody that they've screwed up," Zinni said.
