US President George W. Bush sought on Saturday to shore up support for the Iraq war, saying the best way to honour the nation's dead was to "stay in the fight." Bush's approval ratings have fallen to the lowest levels of his presidency in part because of growing fears about Iraq, where more than 1,700 Americans have died and thousands more have been wounded.
In his weekly radio address marking the Fourth of July Independence Day holiday, Bush sought to tap into patriotic feelings, saying the troops fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan were following in the footsteps of those who fought in the American Revolution, the Civil War and World War Two.
"In this time of testing," Bush said, "I ask every American to find a way to thank men and women defending our freedom - by flying the flag, sending letters to our troops in the field, and helping the military family down the street."