Birmingham, Alabama, Nov 04: US President George W Bush vowed today that the United States will "never run" from Iraq as he indirectly paid tribute to the 16 soldiers killed over the weekend when their helicopter was shot down. "Some of the best have fallen in service to our fellow Americans. We mourn every loss, we honor every name, we grieve with every family and we will always be grateful that liberty has found such brave defenders," he said.

"The enemy in Iraq believes America will run. That's why they're willing to kill innocent civilians, relief workers, coalition troops. America will never run," he vowed. The US President was here to defend his administration's economic record and to raise funds for his 2004 reelection bid.

His remarks came after 16 US soldiers were killed in Iraq when their Chinook helicopter was downed as it headed to Baghdad. Twenty more were injured in the crash.

"It's important that we continue to stay on the offensive, going after the Baathists and the foreign terrorists who are in the country," White House spokesman Scott Mcclellan told reporters earlier. "It's also important that we continue to accelerate our efforts to involve Iraqis in their own security," the spokesman said, adding that US-led troops were "adjusting to the enemy."

Bureau Report