Bush speech fails to impress

Bush has only made three prime-time addresses since taking office

President George W Bush's rare prime-time address to the nation on Tuesday has provoked much criticism in the American press.

Several papers focus on the president's "unapologetic tone" over the situation in Iraq - following one of the bloodiest periods in the US-led occupation of the country.

Mr Bush "drove home the single-mindedness that has become the hallmark of his presidency," writes the New York Times.

The speech was "largely an hour-long justification for holding fast in Iraq, no matter how chaotic the process of forming a new government".

He made the case for staying in Iraq with "the language and zeal of a missionary," it continues.

The Chicago Tribune is equally unimpressed.

"Though nearly half the questions Bush fielded offered him the chance to admit a mistake or express regret for his administration's actions in Iraq or on the 2001 attacks, he never did - except to apologize that he couldn't come up with any example of a failing."

Standing firm

The LA Times criticises the president for failing to provide a new strategy for Iraq in the speech, despite the recent upsurge in violence in the country.

Last night he offered a picture of where he hopes Iraq will be eventually, but whether he can lead the way remains an open question Washington Post

"Faced with rising turmoil across Iraq, Bush repeatedly stressed his resolve to drive that troubled nation toward stability and democracy - but offered no new plans on how to achieve those aims."

"Long on goals and short on means," is how the paper sums up the speech.

This criticism is echoed in the Washington Post:

"It was clear that the president's objective was less to lay out new details of the path forward... instead, it was to reinstate his determination to stay the course."

But the paper does view Mr Bush's reference to the United Nations and its envoy to Iraq, Lakhdar Brahimi, as "the one moment in which he seemed to suggest the US was reaching out for help".

Under fire

The press agrees that the Bush administration is under immense pressure - with mounting problems in Iraq and allegations that it failed to heed terror warnings before 11 September attacks.

Several papers consider the impact that the prime-time address will have on the president's re-election hopes.

Bush's performance is unlikely to stem anxiety among Republicans LA Times

It was just his third since taking office - the previous two were a month after 11 September attacks and then shortly before the start of the Iraq war.

"Last night's press conference carries important political implications because Mr Bush has staked his presidency on his record in the war on terror and the effort to liberate Iraq from Saddam," writes the Washington Times.

The Houston Chronicle says the president has "stepped up a public defence of his actions in recent days after he came under criticism for remaining silent on the issues for much of last week when he was on his ranch at Crawford".

But the Washington Post is unconvinced by the president's performance.

"Last night he offered a picture of where he hopes Iraq will be eventually, but whether he can lead the way remains an open question."

The LA Times does not believe that Mr Bush will have done much to calm the nerves of his supporters.

"Bush's performance is unlikely to stem anxiety among Republicans already uneasy about poor reviews for his State of the Union address in January and a subsequent appearance on NBC's 'Meet the Press'," it says.