Defensive Bush stokes tension with Baghdad over withdrawal

Tensions between the Bush administration and the Iraqi government have burst to the surface over the American exit strategy from the Iraq quagmire, with a defensive President Bush saying he is "not satisfied" with progress.

"We are pressing Iraq's leaders to take bold measures to save their country. We're making it clear that America's patience is not unlimited," Mr Bush said.

The President described how US tactics were evolving, after his chief military and diplomatic representatives in Iraq gave details on Tuesday of a timeline to curb violence that could lead to the departure of the bulk of US troops within 18 months. "Our goals are unchanging. We are flexible in our methods to achieving those goals," Mr Bush said in a lengthy presentation. But, taking questions from reporters, he added: "This notion of a fixed timetable of withdrawal, in my judgement, means defeat." Mr Bush recognised public unease at the mounting death toll and stressed: "We can't leave until the job is done."

He acknowledged that the mid-term elections on 7 November would be a "referendum" on his Iraq policy. The vote, he said, would focus on "which party has got the plan that will enable our economy to continue to grow, and which party has a plan to protect the American people. And Iraq is part of the security of the United States."

But the press conference was dominated by reporters' attempts to clarify the administration's strategy following Tuesday's press conference in Baghdad by General George Casey and Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad.

Apparently anxious that it should not be taken as a pullout announcement, Mr Bush took pains to repudiate "artificial timetables for withdrawal" which he said would only encourage the insurgency. "I know we're not going to succeed, however, if we set artificial timetables for withdrawal or we get out of there, or we say to the enemy, just keep fighting; we'll leave soon. That's not going to work. What will work is a strategy that's constantly - tactics that constantly change to meet the enemy."

In Baghdad, the Iraqi Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki, dismissed the timetable for having been driven by the US election calendar. "I affirm that this government represents the will of the people and no one has the right to impose a timetable on it," Mr Maliki said at a news conference. "I am sure this is not the official policy of the US government, but it is a result of the election campaign and we are not much concerned with that."

Mr Bush reacted defensively when asked if the latest plan reflected electoral rhetoric, at a time when he has suddenly dropped his pledge to "stay the course" in Iraq. He stressed he was giving his speech because the people needed to know he had "a plan for victory".

He also portrayed Iraq as a crucible of terror, warning that, if the militants are not defeated, "they will pursue their goal of a radical Islamic empire that stretches from Spain to Indonesia".

Mr Maliki was clearly dismayed that he had not been consulted about a raid by US and Iraqi forces yesterday in the Shia stronghold of Sadr City in Baghdad, and was seeking clarification. "We will review this issue with the multinational forces so that it will not be repeated," he said after tanks and US fighter planes were deployed.

Mr Bush was asked why the Iraqi Prime Minister had not been on the podium on Tuesday with General Casey and Mr Khalilzad. He said tartly: "I'm not the scheduler of news conferences."