Wednesday, June 29 2005 12:52 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Washington: Amid growing scepticism in US on Iraq war, President George W Bush has ruled out fixing any deadline for withdrawal of troops from the violence-hit country, saying it would be "a serious mistake" that could demoralise Iraqis and US forces and embolden the enemy.

The United States "will stay in the fight until the fight is won," Bush said in a nationally televised address before an audience of about 800 US soldiers at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, last night (Jun 28, 2005).

Bush said he understands the public concerns about the war in Iraq. "Like most Americans, I see the images of violence and bloodshed," he said. "Every picture is horrifying and the suffering is real."

But "setting an artificial timetable (for withdrawal of troops) would send the wrong message to the Iraqis, who need to know that America will not leave before the job is done. It would send the wrong message to our troops ...(and) to the enemy, who would know that all they have to do is to wait us out," he said.

The President said Iraq is the latest battlefield terrorists have chosen. There is only one course of action against them, "Defeat them abroad before they attack us at home."

"Our military reports that we have killed or captured hundreds of foreign fighters in Iraq who have come from Saudi Arabia and Syria, Iran, Egypt, Sudan, Yemen, Libya and other (countries)," said Bush.