Bush Urges Oil Drilling in U.S.

July 9, 2008 — -- WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Bush said Wednesday it has been a "tough month" in Afghanistan, where more U.S. and NATO troops died during the past two months than in Iraq. He said he was weighing whether to send more troops.

The president told a Rose Garden news conference that one reason for the rising deaths "is that our troops are taking the fight to a tough enemy ... of course there is going to be resistance." It has also been a "tough month for the Taliban," he said.

Bush also urged Americans to pressure Congress to allow more oil exploration in the United States.

"We can help alleviate shortages by drilling for oil and gas in our own country, something I've been advocating ever since I've been the president. I've been reminding our people that we can do so in environmentally friendly ways," he said. "And yet the Congress, the Democratically controlled Congress now has refused to budge. It makes no sense."

Bush spoke ahead of a trip to Japan this weekend to participate in the annual Group of Eight economic summit.

The president sought to tamp down speculation that Israel will launch a military strike against Iran before he leaves office. He said all options are on the table but said military action would not be his first choice.

"I have made it very clear to all parties that the first option ought to be solve this problem diplomatically," Bush said. "And the best way to solve it diplomatically is for the United States to work with other nations to send a focused message -- and that is, you will be isolated, and you will have economic hardship, if you continue to enrich."

Iran says its nuclear program is aimed only at generating electricity and cites its right under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty to pursue uranium enrichment, a process that can produce either fuel for a nuclear reactor or material for a warhead.

The United Nations has demanded that Iran suspend enrichment and has imposed three rounds of similar financial sanctions on Iranian companies and individuals. The United States and European allies have been pushing Tehran to halt enrichment and offering incentives, to no avail.