WASHINGTON, Jan 28: US President George Bush will use his State of the Union speech on Tuesday night (Wednesday morning in Pakistan) to prepare anxious Americans for a possible invasion of Iraq.

In his most important speech of the new year, Bush will appear in the House of Representatives chamber at 9:01pm EST (7.01am PST on Wednesday) and address a joint session of Congress and a national television audience.

Mr Bush will face the task of convincing wary Americans that Iraq represents such a threat that US troops may be required to attack that nation, 12 years after his father left the Iraqi president in power.

He will also try to persuade a resistant international audience. White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said on Tuesday a new UN resolution to authorize force against Iraq would be “desirable”, but not mandatory, if Mr Bush decides on war.

The president will also seek to assure Americans his 674 billion dollars tax cut plan can revive a lacklustre economy and shaken investor confidence.—Reuters