ARAB-US RELATIONS - Dec 11 - Bush Maintains Optimistic Line On Iraq.

Bush says he will continue to aim for "success in Iraq" in spite of the growing view that the Pres's ambitions for Iraqi democracy are not achievable. Bush distanced himself from the tone of last week's report by the Iraq Study Group, which was shot through with pessimism about what the US could achieve on the ground. "Like most Americans, this administration wants to succeed in Iraq", he said after meeting State Department officials. "We understand that success in Iraq will help protect the US in the long run". Bush administration officials say that the Pres is likely to announce his "new way forward in Iraq" some time in the next three weeks. Bush has already made it clear he is unlikely to accept the ISG's advice that Washington should include Iran and Syria in a regional conference focused on achieving stability in Iraq. But officials say that the White House would be more amenable to the ISG's recommendation of setting up a regional compact group to co-ordinate economic aid to Iraq. On Dec 10 officials dismissed rumours that there was an effort to oust Nouri al-Maliki as PM of Iraq. Concern about White House intentions were fuelled by a memo from Stephen Hadley, the national security adviser, who expressed doubts about Maliki's ability to address sectarian violence. The suspicion was reinforced by last week's meeting between Bush and Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, leader of a rival Shi'ite group backed by Iran. On Dec 10 the White House spokesman Tony Snow, said that the Pres continued to have "confidence in Maliki". He added: There is no movement to dump him. The meetings with Abdul Aziz al-Hakim were designed to bolster the Maliki government and pull together a group of moderates".