Bush: Iraq struggle will end in victory
Thursday, 20 Mar 2008 14:17
US president George Bush has insisted he made the right decision in sending troops into Iraq five years ago today.
March 2003 saw the US-led coalition begin its invasion of the Middle Eastern country after Mr Bush's administration established an anti-Saddam coalition, dividing the international community.
In a speech at the Pentagon marking the anniversary yesterday, Mr Bush insisted "removing Saddam Hussein from power was the right decision".
"The men and women who crossed into Iraq five years ago removed a tyrant, liberated a country, and rescued millions from unspeakable horrors," he said.
He admitted the struggle for security in Iraq had been "longer and harder and more costly than we anticipated" but described it as a "fight we must win".
"There's still hard work to be done in Iraq. The gains we have made are fragile and reversible. But on this anniversary, the American people should know that since the surge began, the level of violence is significantly down, civilian deaths are down, sectarian killings are down, attacks on American forces are down."