Fact checker on the need for U.S. troops to stay in Iraq

President Bush brought up Al-Qaida 14 times Wednesday in a 26-minute speech marking the anniversary of the Iraq war. He wasn't coy about his point: If America stops fighting in Iraq, there could well be new attacks at home by Osama bin Laden's terror network.

"The terrorists who murder the innocent in the streets of Baghdad want to murder the innocent in the streets of America."

In talking about Al-Qaida in his address, Bush never used the actual name -- Al-Qaida in Iraq -- of the shadowy Sunni-based extremist group that, though weakened, still operates as a major killer there.

The insurgency is believed to be foreign-led and pledges loyalty to Bin Laden's international network. Al-Qaida in Iraq is mostly homegrown and was created after the 2003 invasion to fight the U.S. presence and establish an Islamic fundamentalist state. No evidence has been presented that the group intends attacks outside of Iraq.

"Iraq has become the place where Arabs join with Americans to drive Al-Qaida out. In Iraq, we're witnessing the first large-scale Arab uprising against Osama bin Laden." Bush also said, "there are more than 90,000 concerned local citizens who are protecting their communities from the terrorists."

The "Arab uprising" is a reference to a recent revolt by Sunni Arabs against Al-Qaida in Iraq and other extremists. Whether it represents "large-scale" opposition to Bin Laden is difficult, if impossible, to prove.

The 90,000 number Bush cited comes from the latest quarterly Pentagon report on Iraq, issued last month. It refers to the Sons of Iraq who are on the U.S. military payroll. About 71,000 are Sunni, with the remainder Shiites.

• Percentages by service force: Active duty: 83; National Guard: 10; Reserve: 6.

• Percentage killed by a roadside bomb: 44 in 2007; 55 to date in 2008.

• Percent of deaths that were non-hostile: 18.

• Percent who were officers: 9.

• Number who died of illness: 66.

• Number who were age 18: 33.

• Number of women: 98.

• Percentages by ethnic group: White: 75; Hispanic or Latino: 11; black: 9; Asian: 2; American Indian or Alaska Native: 1; Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 1; unknown: 1.

Osama bin Laden, in a new audio message posted Wednesday on the anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, condemned the publication of drawings that he said insulted the prophet Mohammed and warned Europeans of a "severe" reaction to come.

Bin Laden described the cartoons as taking place in the framework of a "new Crusade" against Islam, in which he claimed the pope has played a "large and lengthy role."

The five-minute message, Bin Laden's first this year, came as the Muslim world marks Mohammed's birthday today. It made no mention of the fifth anniversary Wednesday of the U.S.-led invasion in Iraq, leading experts to question when the tape was made.

Under strong U.S. pressure, Iraq's presidency council -- composed of the president and two vice presidents -- signed off on a measure paving the way for provincial elections by the fall. The elections may open the door to greater Sunni representation.