Washington: US President George W Bush on April 29 pledged to help Iraqis build a prosperous democratic nation and once again urged the United Nations to lift sanctions against that country.

"America vowed to rid Iraq of an oppressive regime, and we kept our word. We now pledge to help Iraqis build a prosperous, democratic and peaceful nation, and we will keep our word again," Bush said in a speech at Dearborn in Michigan.

"It'll be a hard journey, but every step of the way, Iraq will have a steady friend in American people," he said.

Asking the United Nations to withdraw sanctions against Iraq, Bush said it was very crucial for that country to gain access to resources, which will put Iraqis back on the path of prosperity.

"Since Iraq is now free, economic sanctions are pointless. It is time for the United Nations to lift the sanctions, so that Iraqis could use some resources to build their own prosperity," he said in this predominantly Arab-American town.

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Hundreds cheered the President as he said, "Many Iraqi Americans know the horrors of Saddam Hussein's regime firsthand. They also know the joys of freedom in America. You are living proof that Iraqi people love freedom and living proof the Iraqi people can flourish in democracy."

He assured Iraqis that after "years of tyranny and torture, freedom has finally arrived".

Bush said US is not going to initiate a debate on the form of government in Baghdad, as the discussions are going to take place within Iraq.

He said Iraqi citizens are now working closely with coalition troops to restore order to their cities and improve the life of their nation.

The President said "brave" Iraqi citizens are now enabling their own liberation by warning coalition troops about land mines, enemy hideouts and military arsenals and thanked them for helping locate the American prisoners of war who were rescued.

Before coming to the meeting, Bush said he spoke with Najda Egally, a Sunni Muslim from Basra who moved to the US five years ago.

"Najda learned the price of dissent in Iraq in 1988 when her brother-in-law was killed after laughing at a joke about Saddam Hussein in a house that was bugged."

"In Iraq, people could never speak to anyone about Saddam Hussein. They had to make sure the windows were closed. The windows are now open in Iraq," Bush said.

Like Najda, said Bush, a lot of Iraqis feared the dictator, the tyrant, would never go away. But now he is gone.

"We will make sure that the schools are no longer used as military arsenals and bunkers, and that teachers promote reading, rather than regime propaganda," the President said.

PTI