Bush Casts Fighting as Positive Show of Iraqi Troops' Power

WASHINGTON — President Bush, standing with a new Australian leader who is pulling his nation's troops out of Iraq, said Friday that an Iraqi-led offensive now under way against Shiite militias is "a defining moment in the history" of the troubled nation.

Bush said the Iraqi government is cracking down on a "criminal element that have had a pretty free hand in Basra." The military mission, Bush said, should answer questions from "a lot of folks here in America (who) were wondering whether or not Iraq would even be able to do it in the first place."

Bush's comments came on a day that included U.S. air strikes on a Shiite militia-controlled area near Baghdad and on Basra, a southern port city. The flare-up in those regions was sparked by increased tensions among Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's followers, who were upset over the Iraqi crackdown. The White House is concerned that Shiite militias are competing for political power in southern Iraq in a battle that has led to increasing violence. Iraqi success in quelling the violence would be a plus for Bush in next month's congressional hearings as administration officials try to make the case that Iraq has made progress toward defending itself.

The president's comments came at a White House news conference with Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who promised in his recent campaign that he would withdraw troops from Iraq if elected.

Bush pre-empted questions about Rudd's troop decision by bringing it up in his opening statement.

"I'm sure the press corps going to say, 'Well, aren't you mad at the prime minister for fulfilling his campaign pledge?'" Bush said, referring to Rudd's campaign-trail promise to get Australian troops out of Iraq. "And the answer is 'no,' so you don't even need to ask the question now."

Bush praised Rudd as a "loyal ally" who "kept a campaign commitment, which I appreciate."

"I always like to be in the presence of somebody who does what he says he's going to do," Bush said, adding praise for Australia's ongoing military commitment in Afghanistan and non-military assistance in Iraq.

Rudd said he told Bush that Australia will send a $165 million aide package to Iraq, much of it aimed at helping Iraqi farmers.

"On Afghanistan, I confirmed to the president that we're in Afghanistan for the long haul," Rudd said. "It's a tough fight, but we intend to be there with our friends and partners and allies for the long haul."

Rudd plans to remove 500 combat troops from southern Iraq, a move Bush declined to criticize, opting instead to liken it to upcoming U.S. troop drawdowns.

"Troops are coming out because we're successful," Bush said. "And so I would view the Australian decision as return on success – returning home on success."

Bush said the current offensive in Iraq was Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's idea and has full U.S. support.

"I would say this is a defining moment in the history of a free Iraq," Bush said. "There have been other defining moments up to now but this is a defining moment as well."

"And this is a good test for them," he said of Iraqi troops.

"As I told you, this is a defining moment, and it's a moment ... where the government is acting. And it's going to take a while for them to deal with these elements. But they're after it, and that's what's positive," Bush said.