U.S. President George W. Bush (file photo)
22 September 2004 -- U.S. President George Bush has used an address at the annual opening of the United Nations General Assembly to reiterate his defense of the war in Iraq.
Speaking yesterday, Bush said the United States had enforced what he called "the just demands of the world" by overthrowing Saddam Hussein. He said the United Nations "must" now help stabilize Iraq.
"The UN and its member nations must respond to [Iraqi interim] Prime Minister [Iyad] Allawi's requests and do more to help build an Iraq that is secure, democratic, federal and free," Bush said.
As Bush spoke, a militant group linked to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi claimed to have killed a second American hostage in Iraq. The status of the Al-Tawhid Wa Al-Jihad (Unification and Holy War) group's remaining hostage -- a Briton -- is unclear.
The group threatened to kill all three hostages unless the U.S. military release all Iraqi women held at the Abu Ghurayb and Umm Qasr prisons. The U.S. military says there are no women in either prison.
(Reuters/AFP/AP/dpa)
"The UN and its member nations must respond to [Iraqi interim] Prime Minister [Iyad] Allawi's requests and do more to help build an Iraq that is secure, democratic, federal and free," Bush said.
As Bush spoke, a militant group linked to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi claimed to have killed a second American hostage in Iraq. The status of the Al-Tawhid Wa Al-Jihad (Unification and Holy War) group's remaining hostage -- a Briton -- is unclear.
The group threatened to kill all three hostages unless the U.S. military release all Iraqi women held at the Abu Ghurayb and Umm Qasr prisons. The U.S. military says there are no women in either prison.
(Reuters/AFP/AP/dpa)