US: President George W Bush has reaffirmed his policy of pre-emptive war against terrorists and hostile states and has identified Iran as potentially the greatest threat facing America.
An updated National Security Strategy published yesterday says the US will seek to halt the spread of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons by diplomatic means where possible.
"If necessary, however, under long-standing principles of self-defence, we do not rule out the use of force before attacks occur, even if uncertainty remains as to the time and place of the enemy's attack. When the consequences of an attack with WMD [ weapons of mass destruction] are potentially so devastating, we cannot afford to stand idly by as grave dangers materialise," the report says.
The 49-page document is an updated version of Mr Bush's 2002 security strategy, in which he first outlined his administration's policy of pre-emptive war.
The new report accuses Iran of supporting terrorists, threatening Israel and disrupting the democratic process in Iraq and denying freedom to its own people.
"The nuclear issue and our other concerns can ultimately be resolved only if the Iranian regime makes the strategic decision to change these policies, open up its political system, and afford freedom to its people. This is the ultimate goal of US policy.
"In the interim, we will continue to take all necessary measures to protect our national and economic security against the adverse effects of their bad conduct."
The report reaffirms Washington's support for EU-led diplomatic efforts to persuade Iran to modify its nuclear ambitions but warns that "this diplomatic effort must succeed if confrontation is to be avoided".
It accuses North Korea, which it describes as a serious nuclear proliferation challenge, of counterfeiting US currency, trafficking in narcotics, threatening its neighbours and starving its people. It says that Syria is a tyranny that harbours and sponsors terrorists and urges Russia to respect democracy at home and not to impede it elsewhere.
"Strengthening our relationship will depend on the policies, foreign and domestic, that Russia adopts. Recent trends regrettably point toward a diminishing commitment to democratic freedoms and institutions. We will work to try to persuade the Russian government to move forward, not backward, along freedom's path."
The document identifies progress in the Northern Ireland peace process as one of the global success stories of the past three years. "The implementation of key parts of the Good Friday agreement, including the decommissioning of weapons, marked a substantial milestone in ending that long-standing civil conflict."
The report makes only a glancing reference to the European Union, identifying Nato as a vital pillar of US foreign policy. "The alliance has been strengthened by expanding its membership and now acts beyond its borders as an instrument for peace and stability in many parts of the world."
The document insists Washington is committed to a multilateral approach to dealing with the world's problems and stresses the need for co-operation with allies.
"Many of the problems we face from the threat of pandemic disease to proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, to terrorism, to human trafficking, to natural disasters reach across borders.
"Effective multinational efforts are essential to solve these problems, yet history has shown that only when we do our part will others do theirs. America must continue to lead," it says.
Yesterday's report came as two new opinion polls identify the war in Iraq as the most important cause of Mr Bush's low approval ratings, which one poll puts at 37 per cent and another at 33 per cent. Seventy per cent of those who disapprove of Mr Bush believe the war in Iraq has not been worth its human and financial cost, according to a Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll.
The Pew poll asked respondents to suggest one word that best described the president. Honesty had been the single characteristic most closely associated with Mr Bush, but in the current poll, "incompetent" is the word used most frequently.