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WASHINGTON - President George W. Bush said in a prepared speech today he was sending more than 20,000 additional US troops to Iraq, and in a rare admission of a mistake, said he erred by not deploying more forces sooner.
"The situation in Iraq is unacceptable to the American people, and it is unacceptable to me," Bush said. "Where mistakes have been made, the responsibility rests with me."
Bush warned Iraq's leaders that they must keep promises to crack down on sectarian violence or "lose support of the American people".
"For the safety of our people, America must succeed in Iraq," he said.
He said Iraq's security forces planned to take charge of the entire war-torn country by November.
He vowed to interrupt what he called the "flow of support" from Iran and Syria for attacks on US forces in Iraq, as he unveiled his revamped Iraq war strategy.
He also said Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and the Gulf states "need to understand that an American defeat in Iraq would create a new sanctuary for extremists - and a strategic threat to their survival'
Bush warned that his new plan to boost US troop strength in Iraq would not end the violence there and more sacrifice and casualties were to be expected.
In announcing additional US forces, Bush said: "America will change our strategy to help the Iraqis carry out their campaign to put down sectarian violence and bring security to the people of Baghdad.
"This will require increasing American force levels. So I have committed more than 20,000 additional American troops to Iraq."
The president said the US would name a reconstruction coordinator for Baghdad as part of its plan to quell the violence.
"The terrorists and insurgents in Iraq are without conscience, and they will make the year ahead bloody and violent," Bush said in a prepared speech announcing the deployment of 21,500 additional US troops.
"Even if our new strategy works exactly as planned, deadly acts of violence will continue - and we must expect more Iraqi and American casualties."
Bush warned that reducing US efforts now in Iraq would force a collapse of the government in Baghdad and tear the war-ravaged country apart.
"To establish its authority, the Iraqi government plans to take responsibility for security in all of Iraq's provinces by November," Bush said.
But in a pointed warning to the Iraqi government, he said:
"America's commitment is not open-ended."
"If the Iraqi government does not follow through on its promises, it will lose the support of the American people, and it will lose the support of the Iraqi people. Now is the time to act."
More soon.
- AFP, REUTERS
