Bush to defend Iraq policy on TV

US President George Bush will defend his Iraq policy in an address to the American nation tonight, hoping to drum up fading support for the war as his approval rating hits a record low.

He will appeal to Americans to stand firm, reassuring them that there is a “clear path to victory”, but to be prepared for more bloodshed.

The rallying call will be made from the Fort Bragg military base in North Carolina and beamed to millions on television.

It comes after a spate of insurgent attacks and as polls indicate that disapproval in his performance has risen to the highest level of his presidency.

Some 53% of those questioned in the latest Gallup poll said they disapproved of President Bush’s performance – the highest number since he was elected in 2001.

Just 40% said they approved of his handling of the Iraq war while 58% said they disapproved.

The President will use the first anniversary of Iraq’s sovereignty to defend his policy and ease increasing doubts.

His message will insist that stopping the violence “will be a major blow to the ambitions of the terrorists”.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said he will stress the need for patience and the importance of staying the course.

“This President has always lived by his convictions and his values, not by what he sees in the polls,” she told ABC News in the US.

“He is going to go to the American people who elected him just six months ago and tell them again why it is important that we finish the job in Iraq.”

Meanwhile, former Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry urged President Bush to “tell the truth” about the conflict which has so far cost the lives of more than 1,740 US troops.

Writing in the New York Times, Senator Kerry called on his former White House rival to “announce immediately that the US will not have a permanent military presence in Iraq”.