Bush defends Iraq, accuses Congress of hectoring

By Andy Sullivan

DAYTON, Ohio (Reuters) - U.S. President George W. Bush defended the pace of political and economic reform in Iraq on Thursday and accused members of the U.S. Congress of "hectoring" Baghdad and threatening its leaders.

Bush also praised Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki for launching a "tough battle against militia fighters and criminals" in the oil city of Basra, citing it as evidence that Baghdad is increasingly able to handle security without U.S. leadership.

Bush's speech at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force was one of a series of public addresses he has delivered in defense of the 5-year-old war ahead of congressional testimony next month by the Iraq commander and his decision on the way forward after last year's increase in U.S. forces in Iraq.

Bush has argued that the increase in U.S. troop levels in Iraq would lower the level of violence, giving the government in Baghdad time to enact political reforms and train its own security forces to take over policing and military defense.

Democrats and other war critics say that despite a reduction in violence, Iraq has made little political progress and the United States should set a timetable for withdrawal to pressure Baghdad to act more quickly.

Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, a Vietnam War veteran and Republican war critic, rejected Bush's assertions that Iraq had improved markedly, telling CNN "this is still a very unstable, serious, dangerous situation."

"I think this is another episode of Alice in Wonderland, what's up is down and what's down is up," Hagel said of Bush's portrayal of the war. "What do you mean stability and security? Baghdad, for example, has been over the last year essentially ethnically divided."

NOT 'FOOT DRAGGING'