One of Iraq's most powerful Shia leaders has said that civil war can only be avoided if US forces strike harder against Sunni-led insurgents.
Speaking after meeting President Bush Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, head of the biggest party in Iraq's government, SCIRI, denied that the majority Shias were stoking sectarian violence and put the onus on Washington to take tougher action against insurgents.
The two met in Washington as the US envoy and military chief in Baghdad implored Iraqis to break a cycle of violence that they said would destroy the country.
"The strikes they are getting from the multinational forces are not hard enough to put an end to their acts," said Mr al-Hakim. "Eliminating the danger of civil war in Iraq could only be achieved through directing decisive strikes against Baathist terrorists (and other Islamists) in Iraq.
"Otherwise we'll continue to witness massacres," he said in a speech after meeting Mr Bush.
Mr Bush, his Iraq policy under growing criticism even from former allies, said he and Mr al-Hakim had discussed a need for Iraqi leaders to "reject the extremists that are trying to stop the advance of this young democracy.
"I told him we're not satisfied with the pace of progress in Iraq and that we want to continue to work with the sovereign government in Iraq to accomplish our mutual objectives, which is a free country that can govern itself, sustain itself and defend itself," Mr Bush said.
Mr al-Hakim - a Shia Muslim cleric who rose to power in Iranian exile at the head of SCIRI's armed wing, the Badr Brigade - denies accusations by Saddam Hussein's once dominant Sunni minority that his party is behind any of the hundreds of weekly killings.
Mr Bush met Shia Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki last week and is due to meet Sunni Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi later this month as he seeks a new approach to a deepening crisis that could upset the entire Middle East.
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan added his voice on Sunday to those now describing fighting in Iraq as worse than civil war, a term Mr Bush rejects.
"In calling the events in Iraq a civil war, [Annan] is gilding the image of the former regime, which was known for crimes against humanity," Mr Maliki's government said.
The 24 hours to Monday evening saw 52 more victims of sectarian death squads dumped in Baghdad.
In one of the most vivid signs of American alarm, the US ambassador in Baghdad and the commander of US forces said in a joint statement on Monday: "We implore all Iraqis not to become pawns of those who seek to destroy you and your country."
On Wednesday, the American bipartisan Iraq Study Group co-chaired by former Secretary of State James Baker is to offer Mr Bush more proposals on stabilising Iraq and reducing the US presence.
These could include US troops taking a back-seat to Iraqi forces and seeking help from neighbouring Iran and Syria.