President George W. Bush on Saturday defended his decision to order the invasion of Iraq two years ago, hailing the campaign as a landmark event in the history of freedom. Though the invasion that started on March 20, 2003, remains controversial, Bush insisted in his weekly radio address that the war had made America safer and was inspiring change across the Middle East. "Today we are seeing hopeful signs across the broader Middle East. The victory of freedom in Iraq is strengthening a new ally in the war on terror, and inspiring democratic reformers from Beirut to Tehran.
"Today, women can vote in Afghanistan, Palestinians are breaking the old patterns of violence, and hundreds of thousands of Lebanese are rising up to demand their sovereignty and democratic rights."
"These are landmark events in the history of freedom. Only the fire of liberty can purge the ideologies of murder by offering hope to those who yearn to live free."
Bush said he ordered Operation Iraqi Freedom "to disarm a brutal regime, free its people, and defend the world from a grave danger."
The US leader again condemned Iraqi president Saddam Hussein's "support of terror" and "his long history of pursuing, even using, weapons of mass destruction." He did not mention, however, the failure to find chemical or biological weapons programmes in Iraq.
"Because we acted, Iraq's government is no longer a threat to the world or its own people. Today the Iraqi people are taking charge of their own destiny," Bush said, highlighting the country's landmark January 30 elections and this week's first meeting of the transitional national assembly.
"Today, Iraqis can take pride in building a government that answers to its people and honours their country's unique heritage."
Bush paid tribute to the 1,500-plus American soldiers who have been killed in Iraq and also sought to reassure the public that he was taking measures to start the withdrawal of the 130,000 US troops still in Iraq.