President Bush has delivered his State of the Union address, asking Congress to give his strategy for Iraq a chance to work.
He called on Congress to find resolve and "turn events toward victory in Iraq." He said many lawmakers understand that the consequences of failure in Iraq would be grievous and far-reaching. His planned troop increase faces skepticism from Democrats and a number of lawmakers from his own Republican party.
The president said the United States is still at war as long as terrorists plot to murder the innocent. He said Americans advance their own security interests by helping moderates and reformers in the Middle East.
On other foreign policy issues, the president says Americans will continue to speak out for freedom in Cuba, Belarus and Burma, and to awaken the conscience of the world to save the people in Sudan's Darfur region.
Much of the address focused on the president's domestic agenda. The president called for a 20 percent cut in U.S. gasoline consumption over the next ten years. He said his goal can be reached through improved fuel economy standards in cars, and increased use of alternative and renewable fuels like ethanol.
The president also called for comprehensive immigration reform and announced proposals to make health care insurance affordable for more Americans. He proposed a standard tax deduction for health insurance to help those who do not get health insurance through their jobs.
Mr. Bush also asked Congress for authority to increase the size of the Army and the Marine Corps by a total of 92-thousand troops.
The speech comes as the latest CBS News opinion poll indicates Mr. Bush's overall job approval rating has fallen to a new low, with just 28 percent of Americans approving his performance. The same poll says two-thirds of Americans oppose his plan to send more troops to Iraq.
He called on Congress to find resolve and "turn events toward victory in Iraq." He said many lawmakers understand that the consequences of failure in Iraq would be grievous and far-reaching. His planned troop increase faces skepticism from Democrats and a number of lawmakers from his own Republican party.
The president said the United States is still at war as long as terrorists plot to murder the innocent. He said Americans advance their own security interests by helping moderates and reformers in the Middle East.
On other foreign policy issues, the president says Americans will continue to speak out for freedom in Cuba, Belarus and Burma, and to awaken the conscience of the world to save the people in Sudan's Darfur region.
Much of the address focused on the president's domestic agenda. The president called for a 20 percent cut in U.S. gasoline consumption over the next ten years. He said his goal can be reached through improved fuel economy standards in cars, and increased use of alternative and renewable fuels like ethanol.
The president also called for comprehensive immigration reform and announced proposals to make health care insurance affordable for more Americans. He proposed a standard tax deduction for health insurance to help those who do not get health insurance through their jobs.
Mr. Bush also asked Congress for authority to increase the size of the Army and the Marine Corps by a total of 92-thousand troops.
The speech comes as the latest CBS News opinion poll indicates Mr. Bush's overall job approval rating has fallen to a new low, with just 28 percent of Americans approving his performance. The same poll says two-thirds of Americans oppose his plan to send more troops to Iraq.