US President George W Bush will to night try to revive public support for the war effort in Iraq with a televised addressed to the nation. He will appeal to Americans to stand firm and be prepared for more bloodshed.
Bush will deliver his stay-the-course message surrounded by troops at the military base at Fort Bragg, North Carolina - a backdrop designed to whip up patriotic feelings as the administration tries to cast Iraq as part of the president's broader, and more popular, global war on terrorism.
The speech is part of a series of appearances and interviews by the Bush team after a spate of bloody suicide bombings and attacks by insurgents that has undermined public faith in the president's policy.
Mr Bush's approval ratings have fallen to the lowest levels of his presidency in part because of growing fears about Iraq.
He declared last week the insurgency "will be defeated," and White House spokesman Scott McClellan said on the eve of the president's address, "The way to get our troops home is to complete the mission."
Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld appeared yesterday to lower expectations of what the US mission could achieve, insisting it would be ultimately up to the Iraqis themselves to beat the insurgency.
"Success for the coalition should not be defined as domestic tranquillity in Iraq. Other democracies have had to contend with terrorism and insurgencies for a number of years but they have been able to function and eventually succeed," Rumsfeld said.
Mr Bush's address marks the anniversary of the handover of sovereignty, and aides said he would point to January's elections and the formation of a committee to write a new constitution as signs of progress on the political front.
Some prominent Republicans have questioned whether the administration's rosy statements match the reality on the ground. Part of the message tonight night will be to tell Americans to expect "tough fighting in the days and weeks ahead," Mr McClellan said. But the White House continued to assert that "significant progress" had been made.
Before the speech, a Washington Post-ABC News poll found most Americans did not believe the administration's assertions impressive gains were being made against the insurgency.
But a clear majority said they were willing to keep US forces there for an extended time to stabilize the country, The Washington Postsaid.