Guardian Utd: Bush 'exploited 9/11' in Iraq plea

[Jack Rabbit]

From the Guardian Unlimited (UK)
Dated Thursday June 30

Bush 'exploited 9/11' in Iraq plea
Doubts cast on success of speech in halting slide against conflict
By Julian Borger in Washington and Richard Norton-Taylor

Leading Democrats yesterday reacted angrily to President George Bush's address to the nation, accusing him of "exploiting the sacred ground" of September 11 by attempting to link the Iraq war with the terrorist attacks.

In his prime-time speech at Fort Bragg military base, the president mentioned September 11 five times in 30 minutes as he argued that withdrawal from Iraq would leave the US open to more terrorist attacks.

The twitchy mood in Washington was underscored yesterday when the White House was briefly evacuated - and Mr Bush moved to a safe location - in the latest aviation alert to hit the capital. The all-clear was rapidly sounded when the airspace rogue proved to be an innocuous private aircraft.

Instant polls after Mr Bush's speech suggested that he might have solidified support among the largely Republican audience who watched the performance, but it was unclear whether he had made headway against a steadily advancing tide of scepticism about the justification for the war.

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