WASHINGTON, Sept 8 (AFP) - With the death toll among US forces in Iraq newly above 1,000, President George W. Bush said Wednesday that the best way to pay tribute to the fallen was to "complete the mission."
"We appreciate the sacrifice of the men and women who wear the uniform. They`re serving in a great cause. We mourn every loss of life. We`ll honor their memories by completing the mission," he said.
Bush did not mention Iraq or Afghanistan by name, but he was speaking a day after the death toll among US forces in Iraq cleared 1,000 a year and a half after he ordered the March 2003 invasion to oust Saddam Hussein.
"We`re still on the offense here in this country. We`re chasing down these killers overseas so we don`t have to face them here at home. We`re making good progress," said the president.
"And ultimately, we will prevail because liberty changes countries and liberty changes the habits of people, liberty promotes peace," Bush said as he met with top lawmakers from both parties.
Speaking in Cincinnati, where Bush laid out his case for war with Iraq in 2002, Democratic White House hopeful John Kerry assailed the president`s handling of the conflict and paid tribute to US soldiers killed in Iraq.
"We honor them, we pray for them and for their families, and we owe it to their memory and all our troops to do whats right in Iraq," Kerry said.
"George W. Bush made the wrong choices. He himself now admits he miscalculated in Iraq" Kerry said, adding: "Thats the wrong choice; thats the wrong direction; and thats the wrong leadership for America."