Washington: On a collisioncourse with the Congress on Iraq,the White House has again emphasised the need to send more troops to theviolence-hit country.

Vice President Dick Cheney said the USforces need to take the challenge in restoring peace in Iraq.

"We have to have the stomach to finish the task," Cheney said in aninterview broadcast yesterday.

"After 9/11, we learned that we have a vested interest in what happens onthe ground in the Middle East. Now, if you aregoing to walk away from Iraq today and say, well, gee, it's too tough, we can'tcomplete the task," Cheney told  sources.

"The critics have not suggested a policy. All they have recommended is toredeploy or to withdraw our forces. But the fact is, we can complete the taskin Iraq.We're going to do it. We've got Petraeus, General Petraeus, taking over. It isa good strategy. It will work," the Vice President remarked in aninterview that was combative at times.

Cheney said that a Senate Resolution will not be in the interests of theAmerican troops in Iraq.

"It won't stop us. And it would be detrimental from the standpoint of thetroops," Cheney maintained.