President George W. Bush said on Wednesday he had no regrets about the war in Iraq despite the "high cost in lives and treasure" and declared that the United States was on track for a major victory there.
Marking the fifth anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion, Bush said in a speech at the Pentagon, "The successes we are seeing in Iraq are undeniable."
"Five years into this battle, there is an understandable debate over whether the war was worth fighting, whether the fight is worth winning, and whether we can win it," Bush said, according to Reuters. "The answers are clear to me: Removing Saddam Hussein from power was the right decision, and this is a fight America can and must win," the American leader stated.
Bush touted the security gains from a troop buildup or "surge" that he ordered early last year. He said retreat now would embolden al Qaeda and Iran. "The surge has done more than turn the situation in Iraq around -- it has opened the door to a major strategic victory in the broader war on terror," Bush said.
He added: "No one would argue that this war has not come at a high cost in lives and treasure, but those costs are necessary when we consider the cost of a strategic victory for our enemies in Iraq."
