Bush: US and Iraqi forces making progress

US President George Bush today said US and Iraqi forces are making important progress in a security crackdown in Baghdad but warned that America’s enemies will retaliate with deadly attacks.

Three weeks into an intensified security effort, Bush said, “It’s too early to judge the success of this operation … But even at this early hour there are some encouraging signs.”

Iraq’s government has kept its pledge to deploy three additional Iraqi army brigades to Baghdad and has lifted restrictions that prevented coalition and Iraqi forces from going into certain areas, the president said.

Bush offered his assessment in a speech before the American Legion, a group of former members of the US armed services.

“We can expect al-Qaida and other extremists to try to derail this strategy by launching spectacular attacks,” he said.

Bush announced in January he was sending an additional 21,500 US troops to Iraq, largely for a crackdown on violence in Baghdad, despite widespread opposition to the war and opposition to his plan in the Democratic-controlled Congress.

Bush said critics in Congress want to have it both ways – fighting terrorists in Iraq and deterring Iran’s influence in the country while also pushing to withdraw troops.

“That sounds good in theory, but doing so at this moment would undermine everything our troops have worked for,” Bush said. “There are no shortcuts in Iraq.”

He pushed Democrats in Congress to approve his latest spending request for the Iraq war without any limitations.

“Members of Congress have every right to express their opinions. They have every right. They also have a responsibility to fund our war fighters,” he said.

Violence has dropped in the capital. But US military officials say insurgents have fled Baghdad for outlying areas, where attacks are on the rise.

Bush said Iraqi and US forces have rounded up more than 700 people affiliated with Shiite extremists, and also have launched successful operations against Sunni extremists.

“Iraqi and US forces are making gradual but important progress almost every day, and we will remain steadfast until our objectives are achieved,” Bush said.