Bush, Kerry, Allawi: Election campaign

Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry said Thursday that Iraq's Ayad Allawi was sent before Congress to put the "best face" on a Bush administration policy that has gone wrong.

Shortly after Allawi, the interim government's prime minister, gave a rosy portrayal of progress toward peace in Iraq, Kerry said the assessment contradicted Allawi's own statements as well as the reality on the ground.

"I think the &to=http:// english.pravda.ru/world/20/91/365/13872_Blair.html' target=_blank>prime minister is obviously contradicting his own statement of a few days ago, where he said the terrorists are pouring into the country," Kerry said. "The prime minister and the president are here obviously to put their best face on the policy, but the fact is that the CIA estimates, the reporting, the ground operations and the troops all tell a different story.", reports ABC News.

According to the Bloomberg, "These terrorists understand all too well that success in Iraq will be an enormous blow for &to=http:// english.pravda.ru/mailbox/22/98/386/10756_.html' target=_blank>terrorism worldwide," Allawi said during a news conference with President George W. Bush at the White House. "If we stop fighting the terrorists in Iraq they would be free to plot and plan attacks elsewhere, in America and other free nations," Bush said.

Allawi's comments echo Bush's re-election speeches linking the Iraq war to terrorism and saying progress is being made in Iraq. Bush highlights Iraqi election plans, increased use of electricity and child immunizations in a bid to counter Democratic rival John Kerry's criticism that he's failed to address a country "in crisis."

More than 86 percent of the 1,037 &to=http:// english.pravda.ru/usa/2002/11/25/39919.html' target=_blank>U.S. military deaths have occurred since Bush declared major combat over in May 2003 and two beheadings have occurred this week. The Army 1st Cavalry Division's 1st Brigade Combat team has been hit by more than 800 mortar rounds since arriving at its Baghdad base, Camp Hope, in April, the U.S.-led coalition reported.