Analysis: Subdued Bush's appeal

By Justin Webb BBC News, Washington

There were no jokes, no introduction and no backslapping.

Mr Bush said he had no plans to send more US troops to Iraq

What we got was a podium, a blue background and, for 35 minutes, a president reading in a subdued tone from a very carefully prepared script.

Its central theme was that there is a single war against terrorism - and that Iraq is the latest battlefield.

"Many terrorists who kill innocent men, women, and children on the streets of Baghdad are followers of the same murderous ideology that took the lives of our citizens in New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania," the president said.

"There is only one course of action against them - to defeat them abroad before they attack us at home."

America's arch enemy

It is highly unusual for President Bush to mention al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden by name. Last night he did.

Bin Laden remains elusive

He even repeated his quotation that a "Third World War... is raging" in Iraq that will end in "victory and glory or misery and humiliation".

This is a powerful message in America - that the nation's arch enemy is watching and is waiting for any sign of weakness.

Many Americans will shiver at the mention of that name and almost instinctively rally to their president.

'Artificial timetable'

For those still hoping to bring US troops home, Mr Bush - in measured terms - set out the reasons why no timetable could be given.

Setting an "artificial timetable" would send the wrong message to the Iraqis to US troops and to the enemy, he said.

"We will stay in Iraq as long as we are needed - and not a day longer."

When the work is hard the president said - the proper response is not retreat.

Heavy burden

And he appealed to the whole nation to channel its patriotism into the cause of backing the troops.

Mr Bush urged the nation to rally around its armed forces

During the 4 July celebrations next week he called for flags to be flown and letters to be sent to the soldiers.

How much was hanging on this speech and its reception in the country?

Alan Lichman, professor of history at Washington's American University, acknowledges the power of the president's message but suggests that events thousands of miles from Washington are the real drivers of success or failure.

He said: "[President Bush] certainly was eloquent and effective but all this could be washed away as soon as the next tragedy in Iraq."

The fact is that if Iraq is a disaster the American people are unlikely to blame themselves or their troops.

Their president knows that the buck stops with him and last night he looked like a man with that knowledge weighing on his shoulders.