US President George W. Bush described his old Iraq policy as "a slow failure", which is his frankest admission ever that the previous strategy didn't work, The Washington Post reported on Wednesday.

The remarks came during an interview on Tuesday with PBS, in which Bush detailed some of his decision-making regarding Iraq, according to the report.

"I had a choice to make," the president said. "Do what we're doing -- and one could define that (as) maybe a slow failure."

"Secondly, withdraw out of Baghdad and hope for the best. I think that would be expedited failure," he said.

"And thirdly is to help this Iraqi government with additional forces -- help them do what they need to do, which is to provide security in Baghdad," Bush said.

"I chose the latter because I think it's going to more likely be successful," he added.
 
Bush also sharpened his criticism of the Iraqi government over its handling of the execution of Saddam Hussein and security in Baghdad.

He said the US and Iraq governments share blame for the failure to stop sectarian violence from escalating after the February 2006 bombing of a Shiite shrine in Samarra.

The interview was part of a White House campaign to sell the new Iraq policy in the face of intense skepticism from Congress and the American public.

A week ago, Bush delivered a national televised speech to unveil his new plan for Iraq, including sending more than 21,000 additional US troops to bolster flagging security in Baghdad and earmarking about US$1 billion to create jobs for the Iraqis.

(Xinhua News Agency January 18, 2007)