US President George W. Bush acknowledged today that the road ahead in Iraq will not be easy and urged Americans and Iraqis not to waver in the face of attacks by insurgents.
“The way ahead is not going to be easy,” Mr Bush said at a news conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari. “The enemy's goal is to drive us out of Iraq before the Iraqis have established a secure, democratic government. They will not succeed.“
Bush said Iraqi leaders face “monumental tasks” in the coming months, including the drafting of a permanent Iraqi constitution and moving forward with another round of elections. “Yet at every step of the way, so far, the Iraqi people have met their strategic objectives and the terrorists have failed to stop them,” Mr Bush said.
The two men spoke as more violence raged in Iraq and the Pentagon said five US Marines and one sailor were presumed killed in a suicide attack. More than 1,700 Americans have died so far in the war.