President George W. Bush rebuffed congressional criticism of his Iraq plan on Friday by insisting "I'm the decision-maker" and warned Iranians would be stopped if they attacked US or Iraqi forces inside Iraq.
With Americans overwhelmingly opposing Bush's strategy to send 21,500 more US troops to Iraq, Defence Secretary Robert Gates told reporters that military officials were trying to get past logistical constraints to accelerate the increase.
Gates criticised congressional efforts to formally oppose the plan. "It's pretty clear that a resolution that in effect says that the general going out to take command of the arena shouldn't have the resources he thinks he needs to be successful certainly emboldens the enemy," Gates said.
Bush spoke to reporters as he met Army Lieutenant General David Petraeus in the Oval Office shortly after the general was confirmed by the Senate 81-0 to lead US forces in Iraq. Petraeus will carry out a plan that has drawn sharp criticism from lawmakers who worry Bush is deepening US involvement in Iraq at a time when Americans are weary of a nearly 4-year-old war that shows no sign of winding down.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat and vocal critic of Bush, led a congressional delegation on a quick fact-finding mission to Baghdad. In meetings with the Iraqi president and US officials, "We stressed our belief that it is well past time for the Iraqis to take primary responsibility for the security of their nation," the delegation said in a statement.
Bush, asked about congressional resolutions being prepared in both the House of Representatives and the Senate opposing his plan, made clear he had the authority to carry it out. "One of the things I've found in Congress is that most people recognise that failure would be a disaster for the United States. And in that I'm the decision-maker, I had to come up with a way forward that precluded disaster," Bush said. Bush said he realised there was scepticism but that "some are condemning a plan before it's even had a chance to work."
IRANIANS KILLING On Iran, Bush and senior US officials did not deny a report in The Washington Post that US forces had the authority to capture or kill Iranian agents active in attacking American soldiers inside Iraq. "It makes sense that if somebody is trying to harm our troops or stop us from achieving our goals or killing innocent citizens in Iraq, that we will stop them," Bush said. "It's an obligation we all have to protect our folks and achieve our goals."
Gates told reporters US forces had the authority to go after those trying to kill them and said he was unaware of any change in the nature of that authority. "If you're in Iraq and trying to kill our troops then you should consider yourself a target," he said.
Bush said any operations against Iranians would be conducted only inside Iraq. Two weeks ago, his comments about going after Iranian networks operating in Iraq prompted speculation in Washington the United States might launch attacks inside Iran.
"Some are trying to say that because we're enforcing, helping ourselves in Iraq by stopping outside influences killing our soldiers and hurting Iraqi people, that we want to expand this. That's a presumption that's simply not accurate," Bush said.
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