US would wage war again, if needed: Bush

The United States would wage war again, alone if necessary, to ensure the world's safety, President George W Bush has told Britain's The Sun tabloid in an interview published on Monday.

"One of my vows to the American people is, I won't forget the lessons of September 11, 2001," he told The Sun on the eve of his two-day state visit to the UK.

"I was at Ground Zero after the attacks. I remember this haze and the smells and the death and destruction. I'll always remember that."

The president praised the UK troops. "Your troops are well trained, they are well motivated and they're really good at what they do.

"Our soldiers and commanders really appreciate being side-by-side with the Brits. They trust them, and that's important."

He said every time Prime Minister Tony Blair "has said something, he has done it -- and I appreciate that a lot".

"Let me tell you something about him. As they say in Texas, you can book him when he says he's going to do something, you can take it to the bank."

He also had a message for the British. "I can understand why citizens in Great Britain are anxious about war, wonder why a president would commit to war.

"Nobody likes war. See, I understand the consequences of war. I understand particularly when I go and hug the moms and dads and brothers and sisters and sons and daughters of those who died. I can see also the consequences of not acting, of hoping for the best in the face of tyrannical killers."

The president's decision to grant an interview to The Sun, which is best known for its semi-nude Page Three models, came in for criticism in the American media.

"After coming to office with a vow to restore dignity to the White House, the president… granted an exclusive interview to a British tabloid that features daily photographs of nude women," the Washington Post said in an article on its Web site.

It said the president had not granted an exclusive interview to many US papers this year.