(Adds Bush quotes, details) By Matt Spetalnick WASHINGTON, March 19 (Reuters) - President George W. Bush plans to warn skeptical Americans on the fourth anniversary of the Iraq war on Monday that a swift troop withdrawal would have "devastating" consequences for U.S. security. Bush was scheduled to make a statement at 11:30 a.m. EDT (1530 GMT) at the White House after holding a videoconference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki. With polls showing him near the weakest point of his presidency, Bush was preparing to defend his Iraq policy to a nation increasingly opposed to the war and unsupportive of his drive to send in nearly 30,000 additional troops. "It can be tempting to look at the challenges in Iraq and conclude that our best option is to pack up and go home," Bush will say, according to a draft of his remarks. "While that may be satisfying in the short run, the consequences for American security would be devastating." Bush has repeatedly refused to set a timetable for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq, saying such a move will depend on his commanders on the ground and the ability of Iraqi security forces to secure the country on their own. But the House of Representatives, now led by Democrats, is preparing to debate a proposal that would tie approval of emergency war funds to a troop pullout by September 2008. Bush has criticized such efforts as an attempt by lawmakers to "micromanage" the war and has threatened a veto. Anti-war protesters mounted demonstrations in Washington and other U.S. cities over the weekend. Bush announced in January he was sending 21,500 additional troops to Iraq mostly to secure Baghdad, a buildup that has further stoked U.S. public disenchantment over the war. The number of extra troops being sent has climbed to around 30,000 with the addition of support troops. Frustration over the Iraq war cost Bush's Republicans control of Congress in elections last November and is the main reason his poll numbers are stuck near 30 percent, the lowest of his presidency. Bush has repeatedly warned Americans that premature withdrawal from Iraq would endanger the United States by giving al Qaeda a safe haven for launching attacks on U.S. interests and allies. But his critics contend that the Iraq war has distracted U.S. attention and resources from the war in Afghanistan, which they regard as a more important fight against Islamic militants. (Additional reporting by Steve Holland)
