Powell justifies Bush’s Iraq ‘miscalculation’

Bush, acknowledging that he ‘‘miscalculated’’ post-war conditions in Iraq, told the New York Times that the continuing insurgency was the product of a ‘‘swift victory’’ against Saddam Hussein’s military.

‘‘What we have been doing, as the President noted in his New York Times interview, we have been adjusting, and we continue to adjust to make sure that we don’t lose sight of our goal and that we accomplish that goal and that is a free and democratic Iraq,’’ Powell said.

He said there had been improvement in the situation in the last 24 hours and Iraqi interim government had started to show leadership and potential in working with Ayatollah Sistani to resolve the situation in Najaf.