Speaking in Salt Lake City on 31 August 2006, President George W. Bush cautioned that Iran would face repercussions for refusing to suspend its uranium enrichment activities in defiance of a UN deadline. Bush addressed the American Legion veterans organization in what was described as the opening of a series of speeches justifying his administration's counterterrorism and Iraq policies.
The president rejected calls from opposition Democrats for a withdrawal timetable from Iraq, arguing that a premature exit would be catastrophic both for Iraqis and for American security at home. He dismissed the notion that the Iraq war had distracted from efforts against al-Qaeda, insisting that success in Iraq was inseparable from the broader war on terror.
On Iran, Bush said the United States would pursue a diplomatic path alongside allies but insisted consequences were unavoidable if Tehran continued its defiance. The UN's nuclear monitoring body confirmed that day that Iran had not stopped its enrichment activities.
The Salt Lake City address was the first in a coordinated outreach effort intended to shore up Republican support ahead of November congressional elections. Bush planned to host the leaders of Kuwait, Pakistan, and Afghanistan at the White House, with a concluding speech to the UN General Assembly scheduled for 19 September.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in August 2006, in its own words.