The military said yesterday that five more American troops were killed in Iraq, bringing the US death toll for October to 96, as President George W. Bush sought to deflect mounting election-year pressure over the war.

With less than two weeks before November 7 polls in which his Republican party risks losing control of Congress, Bush said on Wednesday that American patience over Iraq had its limits but pledged not to put unbearable pressure on Iraqi leaders.

"We're pressing Iraq's leaders to take bold measures to save their country. We're making it clear that American patience is not unlimited," Bush told a White House news conference.

Voter discontent driven by growing US casualties and spiralling sectarian violence in Iraq have become top issues ahead of the elections, and have prompted calls among some Democrats and other critics to start withdrawing the 140,000 troops still in Iraq more than three years after the invasion.

Despite pressure to review his policy, Bush insisted the United States was committed to Iraq "until the job is done," but said he would adjust tactics to confront a changing enemy.

As the Iraq debate heats up, October has become the deadliest month for US forces in the past 12 months. Some 107 troops were killed in January 2005. The deadliest month in the war was November 2004, when 137 troops died.

A US sailor and four US Marines were killed in combat in western Anbar Province on Wednesday, the US military said in a statement yesterday. It was not clear if the five were killed in the same incident.

Meanwhile, gunmen ambushed an Iraqi police convoy in a town north of Baghdad yesterday, killing eight policemen, including the commander, police said.

At least 50 other policemen were reported missing shortly after the attack near the volatile town of Baquba.

Earlier, gunmen attacked a station for an Iraqi special police force in another town near Baquba, killing six police and wounding 10, police said.

Baquba, 65 kilometres north of Baghdad is in an area with a mixed population of Shi'ites and Sunni Arabs and a stronghold of Sunni insurgents battling US forces and the Shi'ite-led government.

In London, Tony Blair's likely successor as prime minister signalled yesterday that a change of leadership would bring no overhaul of British strategy in Iraq, insisting the withdrawal of coalition troops depends on local forces taking control of security.

Treasury chief Gordon Brown, tipped to win a leadership contest when Blair steps down within 12 months, also rejected claims there is discord between lawmakers and generals over Iraq, despite comments last month from British army chief General Richard Dannatt, who called for a speedy withdrawal.

"We're all in the same position as far as the troop movements in Iraq are concerned. We want British troops to come home at some point but nobody is suggesting no general and no minister that this could happen tomorrow," Brown told BBC radio.

Source: China Daily