President George W Bush said in remarks prepared for his State of the Union speech that the United States will open a "new phase" in post-election Iraq increasingly focused on training Iraqi security forces.
"The new political situation in Iraq opens a new phase of our work in that country," Mr Bush said in excerpts released by the White House. He is due to give his annual State of the Union address at 2 a.m. Irish time.
"We will increasingly focus our efforts on helping prepare more capable Iraqi security forces forces with skilled officers and an effective command structure."
Mr Bush's remarks appeared to signal a coming shift in US policy in Iraq, where the US troop role in Iraq until Sunday's elections has been both to fight insurgents and train Iraqi security forces.
Faced with calls from some Democrats for a phased withdrawal plan from Iraq, the White House has been emphasising the need to train and equip Iraqis to prepare them to defend the country.
Many experts believe it could take years before local security forces can take over frontline duties from US troops.
Mr said in the excerpts that the US mission in Iraq would succeed "because the Iraqi people value their own liberty - as they showed the world last Sunday."