President George W. Bush, facing growing criticism about his war strategy, said Wednesday that the US military forces will stay as long as necessary in Iraq.

In a speech defending his policy at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, Bush said the the US goal is to train Iraqi forces to take charge, adding Iraqi troops are increasingly improving their capabilities in battle but that "this will take time and patience."

"As the Iraqi forces grow more capable, they are increasingly taking the lead in the fight against the terroists," Bush said. "Our goal is to train enough Iraqi forces so they can carry the fight against the terrorists."

There are currently some 159,000 US troops stationed in Iraq, and some 2,100 have been killed by anti-US military groups there since President Bush launched the March 2003 invasion to topple President Saddam Hussein.

A recent poll found 62 percent of Americans disapproved of Bush's Iraq policy while his overall job approval rating is at 37 percent, the lowest in his presidency.

Source: Xinhua