Bush to defend Iraq invasion in UN speech
US president George Bush will defend his decision to invade Iraq when he addresses the United Nations today, a day after his election challenger John Kerry accused him of lying about the reasons for war.
Mr Bush’s speech to the General Assembly comes after UN secretary general Kofi Annan said the invasion of Iraq was an “illegal” act. And it follows criticism by Senator Kerry who yesterday accused Mr Bush of “colossal” failures over Iraq.
Later today, British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw will arrive in New York for a series of UN meetings. He will address the General Assembly on Thursday.
Democratic senator Kerry yesterday painted a bleak picture of progress in Iraq and said the world was less safe following the war to topple Saddam Hussein.
Speaking at New York University, Mr Kerry said: “Let me put it plainly, the president’s policy in Iraq has not strengthened our national security. It has weakened it.
“The first and most fundamental mistake was the president’s failure to tell the truth to the American people.
“He failed to tell the truth about the rationale for going to war. And he failed to tell the truth about the burden this war would impose on our soldiers and our citizens.”
Mr Kerry, from Massachusetts, called on Mr Bush to convene a summit of world leaders to discuss the crisis.
He said other countries which currently had troops in Iraq should be offered a more solid role in the reconstruction process.
“In Iraq, we have a mess on our hands. But we cannot throw up our hands. We cannot afford to see Iraq become a permanent source of terror that will endanger America’s security for years to come,” Mr Kerry said.
He added: “Saddam Hussein was a brutal dictator who deserves his own special place in hell.
“But that was not, in itself, a reason to go to war. The satisfaction we take in his downfall does not hide this fact – we have traded a dictator for a chaos that has left America less secure.”
But Mr Bush immediately hit back at Mr Kerry, whom he accused of changing his position on the war.
“Today my opponent continued his pattern of twisting in the wind,” Mr Bush said at a rally in New Hampshire.
“He apparently woke up this morning and has now decided, no, we should not have invaded Iraq, after just last month saying he would have voted for force even knowing everything we know today.”
Mr Bush went on: “Incredibly, he now believes our national security would be stronger with Saddam Hussein in power and not in prison.
“He’s saying he prefers the stability of a dictatorship to the hope and security of democracy.
“I couldn’t disagree more, and not so long ago, so did my opponent.”
Mr Bush faced further fire over Iraq last week, when Mr Annan said the war had been illegal.
He told the BBC: “I have stated clearly that it was not in conformity with the security council, with the UN charter.”
The secretary general said there should have been a second UN resolution before the war on Iraq.
Asked if the war on Iraq was illegal, he replied: “Yes, if you wish.”
:: The dates for the three widely-anticipated presidential election campaign debates were announced yesterday.
The first will be held on September 30 in Florida, with others on October 8 in Missouri and October 13 in Arizona.
Vice president Dick Cheney and Mr Kerry’s running mate, Senator John Edwards, will go head-to-head in a debate on October 5 in Ohio.
