WASHINGTON (AFP) — President George W. Bush laid out the details Wednesday of a new US plan for Iraq in a major televised address.

WASHINGTON — Leaders of the new Democratic-controlled Congress are vowing to fight it. An elite panel on Iraq has shown little enthusiasm for it. And even some military commanders are deeply sceptical about it.

TEHRAN (AP) — Iran and Syria on Thursday denounced a new Iraq strategy announced by US President George W. Bush that blames them for fuelling violence in the war-torn country. Tehran and Damascus said the plan to send more US troops would only increase bloodshed in Iraq.