Warren Veith | Washington | September 23

LATimes - The president defends continued involvement in Iraq, saying that there are links between 9/11 and inaction by Carter, Reagan and Clinton.

 President Bush said Thursday that mistakes made by three of his predecessors, including the Reagan administration's restraint after the 1983 bombing of the Marine barracks in Lebanon, had emboldened terrorists and helped set the stage for the Sept. 11 attacks.

Bush said he was determined not to repeat the pattern by pulling U.S. troops out of Iraq before the insurgency there is contained and Iraqi forces are able to provide adequate security.

"To leave Iraq now would be to repeat the costly mistakes of the past that led to the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001," Bush said at the Pentagon after a briefing by Defense officials.

This should be 'Humor' but I just know one of those straightlaced Agonist editor types would go and change it on me.