President Bush said he would stake his re-election on a successful outcome in Iraq at a rare prime-time news conference last night where he said more US troops might be needed to stop the violence and transfer power to Iraqis.
Mr Bush appeared before millions of Americans from the White House East Room to answer rising public concerns over his Iraq policy with April emerging as the deadliest month for the United States in Iraq, with more than 80 US troops killed, since Saddam Hussein was toppled a year ago.
Mr Bush acknowledged there have been "tough weeks" in Iraq and said voters "may decide to change" in November and "that's democracy," but that he did not think they would. Many of Mr Bush's fellow Republicans fear spiraling violence in Iraq could cost him the election as he competes in a tight race with Democrat John Kerry for the White House in November.
"I don't plan on losing my job. I plan on telling the American people that I've got a plan to win the war on terror and I believe they'll stay with me. They understand the stakes," he said.
As for the investigation into the September 11th, 2001, attacks, Mr Bush said there were some things that might have helped prevent them. The commission investigating the attacks leveled stinging criticism at the US Justice Department and FBI for failing to meet the growing threat of the al Qaeda militant network blamed for the attacks.
"There are some things I wish we'd have done," he said. He mentioned the post-9/11 Patriot Act that some Democrats say has infringed on US civil rights.
Given a chance to apologize on behalf of the US government to the 9/11 victims like former counterterrorism chief Mr Richard Clarke did, Mr Bush would not.
"I'm sick when I think about the death that took place that day," he said. "The person responsible for the attacks was Osama bin Laden."
Bush, speaking for more than an hour, gave a stay-the-course message, condemned a "power-grab by these extreme and ruthless elements" and said U.S. forces were allowed to use decisive force to maintain order. Some moderate Iraqis have expressed concern at the deadly tactics used to fight Sunnis and Shi'ites on separate fronts.