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By Stephen Kaufman
Washington File White House Correspondent
Washington -- President Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi reaffirmed that Iraq would meet its goal of holding national elections in January 2005, but warned that violence may escalate during the period leading up to voting.
Speaking at the White House September 23 after their meeting, Bush said events in Iraq are "reaching a decisive moment," and that elections will cause democracy to "put down permanent roots" in the country, which would signal a defeat for insurgents currently fighting U.S. and Iraqi forces.
"Because of that, Prime Minister Allawi and I believe terrorist violence may well escalate as the January elections draw near," Bush said.
The president told the prime minister that, despite the continuing violence, including the beheading of two American hostages during the week of September 19, the United States would stand with Allawi's government "until freedom and justice have prevailed."
"To retreat now would betray our mission, our word, and our friends. Mr. Prime Minister, America will keep its commitments," he said
Prime Minister Allawi said Iraq is "becoming a front line for a global fight against terrorists," and said that during their meeting he and Bush had discussed ways to address the violence and to ensure that the elections would take place as scheduled.
"[L]et me be absolutely clear that elections will occur in Iraq on time in January, because Iraqis want election[s] on time," he said. The elections "may not be perfect; they may not be the best elections that Iraq will ever hold ... [b]ut they will take place, and they will be free and fair."
In 15 of Iraq's 18 provinces, the security situation was good enough for elections "to be held tomorrow," Allawi said.
According to press reports, Gen. John Abizaid, commander of U.S. troops in the Middle East, said September 22 that more U.S. troops would be needed to secure Iraq's elections. However, President Bush, who met with Abizaid earlier on September 23, said he had not been asked to send more soldiers to the country.
But, the president added, "When our commanders say that they need support, they'll get support, because we're going to succeed in this mission."
Prime Minister Allawi told the press that Iraq does not need more U.S. troops, nor does his government want them to remain in Iraq "any more than you want to remain there." He called instead for the training of more Iraqi soldiers and police.
"But for now, we need you," he said. "We need the help of our American and multinational partners while we continue to accelerate the training of Iraqi security forces."
Bush said that, with the help of the U.S. military, nearly 100,000 Iraqi soldiers, police officers and other security forces have been fully trained and equipped, with another 25,000 expected by the end of 2004.
"The Iraqi government is on track to build a force of over 200,000 security personnel by the end of next year," he said. "With the help of the American military, the training of the Iraqi army is almost halfway complete."
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Allawi addressed a joint session of Congress where he said Iraq is succeeding after "emerging finally from dark ages of violence, aggression, corruption and greed." He also said the Iraqi people were grateful to the United States for ending Saddam Hussein's rule.
"The overwhelming majority of Iraqis are grateful. They are grateful to be rid of Saddam Hussein and the torture and brutality he forced upon us; grateful for the chance to build a better future for our families, our country and our region," he said.
"Your decision to go to war in Iraq was not an easy one, but it was the right one," Allawi said.
(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov) NNNN
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