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11:02 21Feb2007 RTRS-UPDATE 3-U.S. wants to leave Iraq"with honour", Cheney says

(Updates with Cheney remarks at meeting with Prime Minister Abe)
By Caren Bohan
TOKYO, Feb 21 (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney said on Wednesday the United States wants to finish its mission in Iraq and"return with honour", despite the war's growing unpopularity at home and doubts among U.S. allies.
Cheney, whose visit to Tokyo comes just weeks after Japan's defence minister said starting the Iraq war was a mistake, also insisted Americans would not back a"policy of retreat".
The defence minister's remarks forced Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to scurry to reassure Washington that Tokyo's backing for U.S. policy in Iraq was unchanged.
But a survey released on Tuesday showed most Japanese voters agreed with Defence Minister Fumio Kyuma when he said U.S. President George W. Bush was wrong to start the war.
"We know that terrorist attacks are not caused by the use of strength, they are invited by the perception of weakness," Cheney said in a speech aboard the USS Kitty Hawk aircraft carrier at Yokosuka Navy Base near Tokyo.
"We know that if we leave Iraq before the mission is completed, the enemy is going to come after us. And I want you to know that the American people will not support a policy of retreat," he added, as U.S. military personnel applauded.
"We want to complete the mission, we want to get it done right, and we want to return with honour," said Cheney, who heads on Thursday for Australia to meet Prime Minister John Howard, another staunch supporter of Bush's Iraq policy.

Wie kann man nur so viel gequirrle Sch.... von sich geben