WASHINGTON – President Bush, in an effort to regain U.S. confidence in his Iraq war strategy, declared that country’s recent elections the birth of democracy in the Middle East and urged Americans not to “abandon our Iraqi friends.”

In his first address from the Oval Office since he announced the invasion of Iraq in March 2003, the resolute president defied those in the United States who had concluded “that the war is lost, and not worth another dime or another day” be spent on it.

He insisted he did not believe the war was lost – nor did American military commanders, troops or the terrorists themselves.

“Our troops in the field, who bear the burden and make the sacrifice, do not believe that America has lost,” he said.

“And not even the terrorists believe it. We know from their own communications that they feel a tightening noose and fear the rise of a democratic Iraq.”

Bush said any removal of troops would stifle a growing democracy in the Middle East and embolden global terrorism.

“We would abandon our Iraqi friends and signal to the world that America cannot be trusted to keep its word,” he said.

“We would hand Iraq over to enemies who have pledged to attack us – and the global terrorist movement would be emboldened and more dangerous than ever before.”

Bush said it was important to understand Iraq in the framework of the global war on terror.

“If you think the terrorists would become peaceful if only America would stop provoking them, then it might make sense to leave them alone,” he said.

“This is not the threat I see.”

While Bush acknowledged last week’s voting for parliament will not stop the violence in Iraq, he said free elections meant “America has an ally of growing strength in the fight against terror.”

He called Thursday’s elections “a landmark day in the history of liberty” and said it was “the beginning of something new: constitutional democracy at the heart of the Middle East.”

Iraqis turned out by the millions Thursday to vote in an election that will pave the way for the formation of a permanent government.

Bush, who has struggled with low approval ratings, hopes the election will mark a turning point in support for his strategy, which is costing taxpayers $6 billion a month.

The president, who has been under mounting pressure from Democrats to show progress in Iraq that will allow for a reduction in U.S. forces next year, acknowledged the reconstruction of Iraq had proved more difficult than he had expected.

But he pointed out that more than 125 Iraqi combat battalions were now trained, and a recent poll showed that nearly two-thirds of Iraqis are optimistic about the future.

“You will continue to see the grim results on the evening news,” he said. “This means the war is difficult, it does not mean we are losing.

“Despite the violence, Iraqis are optimistic, and that optimism is justified.”

Meanwhile, the post-election death toll in Iraq rose to nearly two dozen over the weekend as insurgents went on another bloody bombing campaign.

In Baghdad, five people died and up to 15 were wounded by a suicide bomber at a market. Another bomber rammed his car into police checkpoint near the Ministry of the Interior, killing one officer and wounding five. Two Iraqi soldiers were also killed near the Taji military base, where Vice President Dick Cheney addressed GIs.