Amidst growing opposition to the US-led war in Iraq by the American public, the Bush administration on Monday launched a new public relations campaign to help increase support for the war by US citizens.
U.S. President George W. Bush delivered a live speech broadcasted on most American television networks, where he attempted to explain how the US was nearing victory in Iraq nearly three year after the US-led invasion of the country.
"We will not lose our nerve," Bush said, according to Reuters, and gave numerous examples of successful missions of US and Iraqi forces against a common enemy.
Bush repeatedly referred to the "terrorists" who were targeting Iraqi citizens, and cited cases where Iraqi security forces had successfully thwarted attacks.
Bush says many roadside bombs used in Iraq originate in Iran
The US leader also stated that homemade roadside bombs, or IEDs (improvised explosive devices) which have been the cause of thousands of deaths since the beginning of the war, were the main impediment to peace.
He added that Iran was in part responsible for the devastation caused by the IEDs, saying, "Some of the most powerful IEDs we are seeing in Iraq today include components that came from Iran."
"Coalition forces have seized IEDs and components that were clearly produced in Iran," he added.
He said that special US teams had been established to combat the effectiveness of such bombs, which target security forces and civilians in Iraq in the form of roadside bombs on an almost daily basis.
