WASHINGTON - President George W. Bush on Tuesday warned that US troops must not fail in Iraq as he pleaded for his new strategy to end the violence there to be given time to work.

"If American forces step back before Baghdad is secure, the Iraqi government would be overrun by extremists on all sides. We could expect an epic battle between Shia extremists backed by Iran, and Sunni extremists aided by al Qaeda and supporters of the old regime. A contagion of violence could spill out across the country and in time the entire region could be drawn into the conflict.
"For America, this is a nightmare scenario. For the enemy, this is the objective," he said. "This is not the fight we entered in Iraq, but it is the fight we are in."

Following are key statements on Iraq made by President George W. Bush in his past five State of the Union speeches:
2002 -- More than a year before the invasion of Iraq: "Iraq continues to flaunt its hostility toward America and to support terror. The Iraqi regime has plotted to develop anthrax, and nerve gas, and nuclear weapons for over a decade ... States like these, and their terrorist allies, constitute an axis of evil, arming to threaten the peace of the world ... And all nations should know: America will do what is necessary to ensure our nation`s security."

2003 -- Two months before the March invasion: "Tonight I have a message for the brave and oppressed people of Iraq: Your enemy is not surrounding your country -- your enemy is ruling your country. And the day he and his regime are removed from power will be the day of your liberation ... Let there be no misunderstanding: If Saddam Hussein does not fully disarm, for the safety of our people and for the peace of the world, we will lead a coalition to disarm him."

2004 -- Just over a month after Saddam`s capture: "Having broken the Baathist regime, we face a remnant of violent Saddam supporters. Men who ran away from our troops in battle are now dispersed and attack from the shadows. These killers, joined by foreign terrorists, are a serious, continuing danger. Yet we`re making progress against them ... We are dealing with these thugs in Iraq , just as surely as we dealt with Saddam Hussein`s evil regime."

2005 -- Nearly two years since the invasion: "Our generational commitment to the advance of freedom, especially in the Middle East, is now being tested and honored in Iraq. That country is a vital front in the war on terror, which is why the terrorists have chosen to make a stand there ... At the recommendation of our commanders on the ground, and in consultation with the Iraqi government, we will increasingly focus our efforts on helping prepare more capable Iraqi security forces ... As those forces become more self-reliant and take on greater security responsibilities, America and its coalition partners will increasingly be in a supporting role. In the end, Iraqis must be able to defend their own country.

2006 -- Nearly three years since the invasion: "We`re on the offensive in Iraq, with a clear plan for victory ... Our work in Iraq is difficult because our enemy is brutal. But that brutality has not stopped the dramatic progress of a new democracy ... As we make progress on the ground, and Iraqi forces increasingly take the lead, we should be able to further decrease our troop levels -- but those decisions will be made by our military commanders, not by politicians in Washington DC.

01/24/2007 02:52 GMT