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Bush Estimates 30,000 Iraqis Killed Since Invasion
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1024D7B:3919ACA This was
president's third of four speeches to regain eroding support for war
in Iraq





George Bush gives Iraq speech in Philadelphia

President Bush says he believes about 30,000 Iraqis have been killed
since U.S forces invaded the country to remove Saddam Hussein from
power.

He gave the estimate in response to a question following his third
speech in recent weeks on Iraq.  Mr. Bush says that number includes
Iraqis killed during the invasion and ongoing insurgent violence.

The Pentagon has previously been reluctant to provide non-U.S.
casualty figures for the conflict. There have been more than 21,00
members of the U.S. armed forces killed since the invasion.

Mr. Bush has hailed democratic progress in Iraq, saying 2005 will be
remembered as a 'turning point' for the country and for the Middle
East.

Mr. Bush spoke on Iraq's political process in Iraq Monday in the city
of Philadelphia, known as the birthplace of America's democracy.  He
compared difficulties faced by the United States' founding fathers
with current problems in Iraq.  

Mr. Bush noted that Iraqis will vote Thursday for the third time this
year, and he called this a remarkable achievement in the face of
determined enemies.

He says the vast majority of Iraqis do not want to live under an
Iranian-style theocracy.

He says the United States will stand by Iraq to prevent it from being
negatively influenced by Iran and Syria, which Mr. Bush says is
permitting terrorists to enter Iraq.

It was the president's third speech on Iraq in recent weeks.  His
public approval ratings have been hurt over his handling of the Iraq
war.

Some Democratic lawmakers are saying the presence of U.S. forces in
Iraq has become counterproductive and are calling for a plan to begin
bringing them home.

Mr. Bush says success of Iraqi democracy is in the interest of all
Middle Eastern countries. He also called on those who pledged
assistance to Iraq to make good on those commitments.

He says terrorists know democracy is their enemy.


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