The White House said Thursday that U.S. President George W. Bush's Jan. 23 State of the Union speech will focus on 5 key areas: the war on terror, energy, health care, immigration and education.

In the daily briefing, White House Press Secretary Toney Snow acknowledged that Iraq will also be touched upon, but declined to say if it will dominate the speech.

Instead, he said the speech will "be dominated by sound policy. "

Different from previous State of the Union speeches, this time Bush will deliver it to the first Democrat-controlled Congress in 12 years.

U.S. analysts said although the State of the Union address was meant to be about domestic policy, but Bush will use it as another push to sell his unpopular new Iraq plan.

Facing strong opposition from Democrats and wavering Republican lawmakers on Bush's new Iraq plan, the White House aides are viewing next week's speech as a second chance to convince the American people of the dangers of leaving Iraq.

While Bush still hopes to talk about subjects other than Iraq in the upcoming State of the Union address, Democrats have selected newly elected Senator Jim Webb to deliver their party's response to the State of the Union.

Webb, an outspoken critic of the war, has a son serving in Iraq and had recently quarreled with Bush at a White House reception.

Source: Xinhua