President Bush has appealed for Americans to be patient with the military mission in Iraq, as poll numbers continue to show most of the country does not approve of the president's handling of the war.
Mr. Bush said in his weekly radio address Saturday that the effort in Iraq and the broader Middle East will require more time, sacrifice and continued resolve.
He praised the efforts of Iraqi leaders who are trying to agree on a constitution. Iraqi lawmakers missed several deadlines this week for completing a draft constitution.
Mr. Bush also used his radio address to hail what he called Israel's "courageous and painful" dismantling of Jewish settlements from Gaza and parts of the West Bank. He urged Palestinians to now show the world they can fight terrorism.
Information for this report is provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.