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Bush seeks to reassure US on Iraq, economy

Bangladeshi hero invited in his State . of the Union address

AGENCIES, Washington
President George W Bush on Monday warned against pulling the plug on his Iraq strategy and assured the US public -- now more worried about the US economy than the war - - that help was on the way.
With barely 12 months before his term ends, and less before the race to the November elections all but sidelines him, Bush also vowed to "confront" Iran where necessary and do "everything we can" to reach a Middle East peace deal.
In a rare gesture, the most famous Bangladeshi-American, Hassan Askari -- a Bangladeshi born student at Berkeley College in Manhattan, New York City was honoured during President Bush's State of the Union address to Congress on Monday.
Taking personal risks, Hassan came forward to save Walter Adler and his Jewish friends from extremist Christian attackers. The incidence took place on the Q train in New York City on the night of December 7,2007.
Hassan has received numerous honours from officials in New York and US Congress earlier. The State of the Union feature is the first time for any Bangladeshi American.
The president used his final
annual State of the Union address to defend his deeply unpopular handling of what US voters say are their top two concerns: the nearly five-year-old Iraq war and economic turmoil.
"In the long run, Americans can be confident about our economic growth, but in the short run, we can all see that that growth is slowing," he said, urging lawmakers to speed approval of a 150-billion-dollar (102-billion-euro) stimulus package he agreed last week with Congressional leaders.
With the lower House of Representatives due to vote on Bush's economic package Tuesday, the Senate meanwhile unveiled a rival plan to include billions of dollars for seniors and the unemployed, and extra tax breaks for businesses.
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus in a statement reacting to the address said he hoped Bush would take on board these extra proposals — but reports predicted a clash, since they include plans already rejected by the president.
US President warned Iran Monday that the United States will "confront those who threaten our troops" and defend its allies and interests in the Gulf
Bush, in excerpts of his State of
the Union speech provided by the White House, also urged Tehran to suspend its uranium enrichment programme, embrace political reforms, and "cease your support for terror abroad."
"But above all, know this: America will confront those who threaten our troops, we will stand by our allies, and we will defend our vital interests in the Persian Gulf," he said.
On Iraq, Bush defended his decision one year ago to "surge" 30,000 more troops into the war-torn country and warned that a hasty troop withdrawal would ruin the fragile political and security progress there.
"Having come so far and achieved so much, we must not allow this to happen,” he declared, adding that US forces were starting to come home and more would do so in 2008 as their role there changes.
"Our objective in the coming year is to sustain and build on the gains we made in 2007, while transitioning to the next phase of our strategy. American troops arc shifting from leading operations, to partnering with Iraqi forces, and, eventually, to a protective overwatch mission," he said.
Bush cautioned that "wc can still expect tough fighting ahead." A senior aide said a progress report due by April would shape any draw-down decision beyond current plans to bring some 20,000 soldiers home by July.
Bush had promised the crackdown wnuld quiet sectarian violence that he blamed for thwarting Iraqi national reconciliation and that Iraqi security forces would be in charge of the whole country by November.
But 2007 proved the deadliest year for US troops since the 2003 invasion, major political progress has been elusive, and Iraqi officials have suggested that it may not be until 2012 that they can assume full control of security.
The president unveiled no bold new proposals, instead frequently-invoking "the past seven years" in a speech that, at times, sounded as if he w’ere polishing his legacy; anticipating his own political obituary.
Democrats hope that deep dissat -isfaction with his record will help them retain control of Congress and reconquer the White House. Some of his Republicans worry he could be a liability.
A January 20-22 Wall Street Journal survey found that 64 percent of Americans disapprove of Bush's handling of the economy and 67 percent nis record on Iraq — issues that will shape the race to succeed him.
The leading Democratic presidential hopefuls. Senators Hillary Clinton ana Barack Obama, roundly criticised Bush on the leading issues in his speech.
Hillary Clinton called it "more of the same - a frustrating commitment to the same failed policies that helped turn record surpluses into
large deficits, and push a thriving 21 st-century economy to the brink of recession."
Obama described the speech as "full of the same empty rhetoric the American people have come to expect from this president.'
The Republican nationwide presidential frontrunner according to poll averages, John McCain, backed Bush's economic package. "We should pass it quickly; he told CNN news.
Bush ureed Iran to freeze uranium enrichment that Washington fears is a step towards nuclear arms, and to stop backing extremists abroad.
"America will confront those who threaten our troops, we will standby our allies, and we will defend our vital interests in the Persian Gulf." he w'amed.
He called for the United States to stay the course in Afghanistan, for his giant tax cuts to be made permanent, and pressed the Congress to approve free trade pacts with Colombia, Panama and South Korea.