EXCLUSIVE: Bush Says Invading Iran 'Not the Plan'

Jan. 30, 2007 — -- President Bush believes he might have been misunderstood when he started speaking about the need to go after Iran for its involvement in aiding the insurgency in Iraq.

As he traveled to Illinois today to share good news on the economy, he said the subject has been overshadowed by the war in Iraq, and he clarified his stance on Iran, which he does not plan to invade.

"Nobody's talking about that," he told ABC News' Betsy Stark. "To say that defending ourselves in Iraq … has some greater goal is just simply not the case."

Rather, Bush is going after those who may try to harm U.S. troops. "We'll deal with it by finding their supply chains and their agents and … arresting them, getting them out of harm's way. In other words, we're going to protect our troops," Bush said. "It's not tough talk to say that the commander in chief expects our troops to be protected."

And he hopes he can use diplomacy to convince the Iranians to "get rid of their nuclear weapons ambitions."

"And the best way to do so is to continue rallying other nations to join us and expressing ourselves very clear to the Iranians that 'You will be isolated, that you won't be able to achieve your greatness, that you'll hurt your people economically if you continue to insist upon a nuclear weapon,'" he said.

In Iraq, U.S. and Iraqi forces engaged in a major battle in Najaf this week, killing what may have been hundreds of militants from a cult. Bush described the group as "extremists" who were "trying to do harm to innocent people."

He said the key for the Iraqi government is to go after killers, "whether they be Shia or Sunni.

"Unfortunately, extremists and killers have put in jeopardy this new government. And I made the judgment that they needed our help to secure their capital," Bush continued. "Once the capital gets secured, it would give them breathing room to do the hard work necessary to do politics and rebuilding."

As Bush spoke on the economy today, a Senate committee was tackling another issue, holding hearings on how the White House has dealt with scientists and their findings on global warming. Some have criticized the administration for suppressing evidence of climate change.

When asked if he still doubted that the cause of global warming was manmade, as scientists seem to agree overwhelmingly that it is, Bush said, "Well, I don't know where you got that quote from, but I believe it's a serious problem. And I know it can be addressed."