"Prickly" President responds to ISG

Telegraph:

A defiant and at times prickly President George W Bush stood alongside Tony Blair yesterday and rejected key elements of a major report on the war in Iraq, while vowing: "We will help a young democracy prevail."

Mr Bush insisted on the need to be "flexible and realistic" and to change troop levels only on the advice of military commanders, who have made it clear that they do not want forces to be drawn down yet.

He repeatedly spoke of the importance of a Pentagon review yet to be completed and said the findings of Iraq Study Group, had not expected all its recommendations to be accepted. Instead, he "would pay close attention and would seriously consider every recommendation".

Both men spoke of the need for a "new way forward" in Iraq but remained adamant that their decision to topple Saddam Hussein and attempt to establish democracy would be vindicated by history.

"It's a noble mission, and it's the right mission," said Mr Blair. "And it's important for our world that it succeeds."

Mr Bush stressed his determination to achieve "victory" in Iraq while Mr Blair highlighted the necessity of the Middle East enjoying "freedom and democracy".

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Mr Bush bristled at suggestions that he was burying his head in the sand and ignoring the damning assessment – which Mr Blair described as "not really in dispute" – of his Iraq policy delivered by Mr Baker and his colleagues.

He revised his description of the situation as merely "unsettling" when challenged by reporters.

"It's bad in Iraq. That help?" he shot back fiercely. "You want frankness? I thought we would succeed quicker than we did. And I am disappointed by the pace of success."

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This is one of the reasons I really like President Bush and many in the media really hate him. They well never admit that they have been wrong about Iraq, and they revel in adverse news and ant him to join them and he will not play their silly game. He stands up to them and tells him what he thinks and it drives them crazy because he will not agree with them. What he is saying is that those who think he has decided to lose in Iraq are wrong. This deeply disappoints those who want to lose.