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A sign of desperation: Bush

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

WASHINGTON OCT. 27. The U.S. President, George W. Bush, has argued that the stepped up violence in Iraq is a sign of desperation of the attackers who have been routinely referred to as "killers" in that country.

Pentagon officials say that the latest bombings in the Iraqi capital could be the handiwork of the Saddam Hussein loyalists.

The President was responding to the latest series of blasts in Baghdad that hit the headquarters of the International Committee of the Red Cross and four police stations, which have claimed several dozen lives.

"The more progress we make on the ground, the more free the Iraqis become, the more electricity that is available, the more jobs that are available, the more kids that are going to school, the more desperate these killers become," Mr. Bush remarked at the White House after meeting the top American civilian administrator, Paul Bremer.

Mr. Bush argued that his administration was determined "not to be intimidated by these killers" and that the administration is "even more determined to work with the Iraqi people to create the conditions of freedom and peace, because it's in our national interests to do so". Mr. Bremer was in the White House along with Gen. John Abizaid for previously scheduled meetings with the President and the Defence Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld.

The President once again referred to the attackers in Iraq as "cold blooded killers, terrorists" and that the best way to find them was to work with the Iraqis "to ferret them out and go get them. And that is exactly what we discussed". He stressed that no effort would be spared in bringing the attackers to justice.

Mr. Bremer was also optimistic of the future in Iraq "...the overall thrust is in the right direction, and the good days outnumber the bad days, and that's the thing you need to keep in perspective".

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