Bush sticking to failed policy over Iraq, say critics

US President George W Bush won cautious kudos in Europe and Asia yesterday for urging reduced dependance on oil and backing alternative energy sources in his State of the Union address, but his push for more troops in Iraq was widely derided.

Mr Bush proposed reducing gasoline consumption in the US by 20% during the next 10 years through tougher fuel economy standards and mandatory production of more ethanol and other alternative fuels.

While many said the president did not go far enough to combat global warming, most saw Mr Bush’s proposals as a good sign.