[joe-salton]

Singapore believes United States President George W. Bush is right to be firm over how and when the US exits Iraq, as the decision could make or break jihadist movements elsewhere.
The Republic therefore appreciated the resolve he had shown in tackling the difficulties in Iraq and the Middle East, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on May 4.

He made the comment after emerging from a 55-minute meeting with Bush at the White House.

"I thanked the President for the steadfastness and resolve with which he's tackling the very complicated problems in the Middle East and Iraq, as well as the Israel-Palestinian issue," Lee said.

"It's critical for us in South-east Asia that America does that. And the President continues to give strong leadership on that because it affects America's standing in Asia and the world, and also the security environment in Asia because extremists, the jihadists, watch carefully what's happening in the Middle East and take heart, or lose heart, depending on what's happening."

Bush in turn thanked the Singapore Government and its people for supporting reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan and missions to Iraq.

Both leaders appeared relaxed and at ease in each other's company when the President welcomed Lee and when they spoke to the media at the Oval Office, after their meeting.

Bush has been short of friends of late. He is in the thick of a legislative battle with a Congress that wants to tie funding of troops to withdrawal timelines.

On Tuesday, he vetoed a Bill by the Democrat-controlled House to withdraw troops by March. A bid to override the veto failed, forcing the Democrats to back down and hammer out a compromise Bill now in the works.

Asked by reporters later to comment on Mr Bush's actions and waning popularity at home and abroad, Lee said the President was convinced he was right and "I've told him what he's doing is right".

"That in Iraq, America has to take a firm position and if it leaves with its tail between its legs, it is going to be very damaging for America, very damaging for all of its friends - and particularly in South-east Asia - that we will all be greatly alarmed because our security will be greatly affected," Lee said.

"An important friend of ours would have been diminished and it is going to do us harm."

Asked about the pressures Bush faced, Lee said the President told him that he did not care about opinion polls.

"What he is interested in doing is to make sure in the next 22 months he sets in place a policy that will continue to be forward looking and continue to assure America's security for the long-term. And I think that's the right attitude. He's used to pressure, I don't think it fazes him."

Both leaders earlier described bilateral ties as very strong. Lee left here yesterday for the San Francisco leg of his US visit.