Bush will stake re-election over Iraq, terror war

US president George W. Bush said he would stake his re-election on a successful outcome in Iraq at a rare prime-time news conference on Tuesday night. Bush appeared before millions of Americans from the White House East Room to answer rising public concerns over his Iraq policy with April emerging as the deadliest month for the United States in Iraq, with more than 80 soldiers killed. The highest in one year.

Bush acknowledged there have been ‘‘tough weeks’’ in Iraq and said voters ‘‘may decide to change’’ in November and ‘‘that’s democracy’’, but that he did not think they would. Fellow Republicans fear spiralling violence could cost Bush the election.

‘‘I don’t plan on losing my job. I plan on telling the American people that I’ve got a plan to win the war on terror and I believe they’ll stay with me,” he said. —(Reuters)