Bush insists progress being made in Afghanistan

WASHINGTON, Sep 29 (Reuters) US President George W Bush, facing election-year criticism that the Iraq war is a distraction from efforts to stabilize Afghanistan, insisted today allied forces were making headway against a resurgent Taliban.

In a speech to a friendly military audience, Mr Bush said an increase in militant attacks in eastern Afghanistan was a result of the pressure Islamic extremists are under from Afghan, US and NATO forces.

The Taliban's resurgence in Afghanistan has spawned the worst violence since US-led forces toppled the Islamist hardliners from power after the September 11 attacks five years ago. The US military in the region said this week that militant attacks in eastern Afghanistan have tripled in some areas.

Bush said a major offensive in five eastern Afghan provinces was putting the Taliban on the defensive.

''See, the enemy understands what we're doing and they don't like it. That's why they're reacting the way they're reacting.

They understand that the arrival of Afghan and coalition forces in the region means that the government is beginning to win the hearts of the people,'' Mr Bush said.

Despite sharp differences between Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf over how best to fight the Taliban, Bush said a White House dinner he had with the two leaders on Wednesday resulted in a cooperative spirit after frank talks.

''We will defeat the Taliban. We will defeat al Qaeda. And the only way to do it is by working together,'' he said.

Democrats accuse Bush of forsaking Afghanistan in favor of a war in Iraq they say had little relevance to the post-September 11 fight against al Qaeda and Islamic militancy.

All week they have criticized him over a portion of a new National Intelligence Estimate that said the Iraq war was a ''cause celebre'' for Islamic extremists and is cultivating supporters of a global jihadist movement.

They are trying to turn American doubts about the Iraq war into a heavy voter turnout against Republican candidates in November 7 elections and gain control of Congress.

''The administration has a stand-still-and-lose policy in Iraq, which isn't the center of the war on terror, and a cut-and-run policy in Afghanistan, which is the center of the war on terror. The only clear thing about the president's policy is that it's clearly not working,'' said Massachusetts Democratic Sen John Kerry.

Mr Bush was forced this week to release portions of the National Intelligence Estimate to confront a leaked part that only dealt with Iraq.

He said the impression his critics want to leave is that by fighting extremists in Iraq, Americans are less safe at home.

''You do not create terrorism by fighting terrorism. If that ever becomes the mindset of the policymakers in Washington, it means we'll go back to the old days of waiting to be attacked and then respond,'' Bush said.

REUTERS BDP KP2223