WASHINGTON, Oct 21: President George W. Bush met on Saturday with top US military commanders to discuss the Iraq war and said he would make every necessary change ‘in tactics’ to try to control spiralling violence there.

Despite growing election-year pressure from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers for an overhaul of his Iraq strategy, Mr Bush insisted he would not abandon his goal of building a self-sustaining Iraq government.

The president, however, acknowledged in his weekly radio address that the violence had risen sharply. In October, nearly 80 US troops have been killed, a pace that, if continued, could make it one of the deadliest months for American forces since the war began in 2,003.

Mr Bush said the military always reviewed the way it conducted the war and ‘we will continue to be flexible, and make every necessary change to prevail in this struggle.’

He added, “Our goal in Iraq is clear and unchanging: Our goal is victory. What is changing are the tactics we use to achieve that goal.”

Mr Bush held a 90-minute videoconference involving Vice- President Dick Cheney, Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, top White House officials and US military officials in Iraq.

Gen John Abizaid, who oversees the Iraq war as head of the US Central Command, is in Washington and was a key presenter at the videoconference.

“The participants focussed on the nature of the enemy, the challenges in Iraq, how to better pursue our strategy, and the stakes of succeeding for the region and security of the American people,” White House spokeswoman Nicole Guillemard said. She said there would be a similar forum in coming weeks.

While insisting he is always open to adjustments in tactics in Iraq, Mr Bush has denounced Democrats calling for a course correction as supporting a ‘doubt and defeat’ approach.

CRITICISM: Democratic congressional candidate Diane Farrell, delivering her party’s radio message, said the Bush administration’s plan amounted to little more than a slogan of ‘stay the course’.—Reuters