Bush says U.S hard to defend from terrorists
President: 'They would like to attack us again'
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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush said Wednesday he understands why many Americans expect another terrorist attack on U.S. soil, pointing to the persistence of terrorists and the difficulty of protecting this country.
"It's difficult to stop people coming across the Rio Grande River ... whether they be people looking for work or people looking to do harm," Bush told journalists at a meeting of the American Society of Newspaper Editors.
Bush pointed to the creation of the Department of Homeland Security -- which he initially opposed -- and the passage of the Patriot Act as signs of his administration's moves to defend the nation against terrorist acts.
But he underscored the terrorist threat.
"They attacked today in Basra. It was a terrorist act today," Bush said, referring to suicide car bombings Wednesday that killed at least 68 in the Iraqi city. (Full story)
"They just blew up innocent Iraqis. They attacked in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, today. And they attack all the time. They would like to attack us again." (Full story)
Bush also pointed to last month's attack in Madrid, Spain, where bombs ripped through commuter trains, killing 190 people.
In his comments to the journalists, Bush defended the U.S. policy that ousted Iraqi President Saddam Hussein from power -- despite an increasing number of coalition deaths and rising international criticism.
"When you say, 'Disarm or face serious consequences,' you'd better mean what you say when you say it," Bush said.
"Saddam Hussein chose not to disarm. We viewed him as a threat; the intelligence said he was a threat; we all thought he had weapons. The truth will be known over time."
The administration repeatedly cited Saddam's arsenal of unconventional weapons in the buildup to the war, but no such weapons have been found in the year following the invasion.
Bush maintained the military action was just.
"Because we moved, torture chambers are closed, mass graves won't be filled and democracy is growing in the heart of the Middle East," Bush said.
Freedom for the Iraqis will prove to be the long-term solution to the current malaise there, he said.
Still, Bush acknowledged, "The last couple of weeks have been really rough. Rough on the families of those who lost their lives and those who wonder about the security and safety of their loved ones."
In one of his few allusions to November's presidential election, Bush vowed U.S. forces would remain in Iraq until they are no longer needed. "We're not going to cut and run if I'm in the Oval Office."
Asked whether he considers it imperative that Iraq become a democracy, Bush said, "It's necessary. It's what will ... help change the world."
But Democrats urged Bush to change course in Iraq, where more than 700 Americans have died.
"What the president presents is a false choice between staying the course and cutting and running," said Sen. Carl Levin, D-Michigan, in a telephone conference call with reporters. "Just staying on the same course we're on is not the way to proceed in Iraq. The course has been too violent. There have been too many American casualties."
He urged Bush to "reach out, in a significant way" to the international community for help in forming an interim government to which sovereignty can be passed by Bush's self-imposed June 30 deadline.
Turning to another country, Bush warned Iran that it must not develop nuclear weapons. Diplomats have raised concerns about Iran's possible nuclear ambitions. (Full story)
"Development of a nuclear weapon in Iran is intolerable," Bush said, and urged Iran to back off its attempts. "Otherwise, they will be dealt with, starting through the United Nations."
Bush described the Iranian leadership as "a tough crowd to negotiate with" but, he said, "Hopefully we're making progress there."
