Just hours after Maliki spoke, President Bush addressed the situation in Iraq at a news conference at the White House.

President Bush: “We’re pressing Iraq’s leaders to take bold measure to save their country. We’re making it clear that America’s patience is not unlimited. Yet we also understand the difficult challenges Iraq’s leaders face, and we will not put more pressure on the Iraqi government than it can bear. The way to succeed in Iraq is to help Iraq’s government grow in strength, and assume more control over its country as quickly as possible.”

President Bush also addressed the mounting opposition to the war. The President suggested calls for withdrawal have been influenced by what he called “enemy propaganda.”

President Bush: “We cannot allow our dissatisfaction to turn into disillusionment about our purpose in this war. We must not look at every success of the enemy, as a mistake on our part. Calls for an investigation, or a reason to call our troops to call home–we must not fall prey to the sophisticated propaganda by the enemy.”