WASHINGTON - Unswayed by anti-war passions, US President Bush was to say Wednesday he will send 21,500 additional US forces to Iraq to quell its near-anarchy. He was to acknowledge for the first time he had erred by failing to order a troop buildup last year.

Democratic leaders, from left, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Md., House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nev. talk to reporters outside the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2007, following a meeting with President Bush to discuss his revised Iraq strategy. [AP]

The military increase will push the American presence in Iraq toward its highest level and put Bush on a collision course with the new Democratic Congress. It also runs counter to advice from some generals.

Bush was to announce the buildup in a prime-time speech to the nation. Excerpts of his remarks were released in advance by the White House.

Bush planned to say that "to step back now would force a collapse of the Iraqi government. ... Such a scenario would result in our troops being forced to stay in Iraq even longer and confront an enemy that is even more lethal."

"If we increase our support at this crucial moment and help the Iraqis break the current cycle of violence, we can hasten the day our troops begin coming home."

The new Democratic leaders of Congress met with Bush before his speech and complained later that their opposition to a buildup had been ignored. "This is the third time we are going down this path. Two times this has not worked," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (news, bio, voting record), D-Calif. "Why are they doing this now? That question remains."

Senate and House Democrats are arranging votes urging the president not to send more troops. While lacking the force of law, the measures would compel Republicans to go on record as either bucking the president or supporting an escalation. Several Republicans appear ready to support the Democrats' measure.

After nearly four years of bloody combat, the speech was perhaps Bush's last credible chance to try to present a winning strategy in Iraq and persuade Americans to change their minds about the unpopular war, which has cost the lives of more than 3,000 members of the US military as well as more than US$400 billion.

The president was to say Iraq must meet its responsibilities, too - but he put no deadlines on Baghdad to do so.

"America's commitment is not open-ended," he planned to say. "If the Iraqi government does not follow through on its promises, it will lose the support of the American people and it will lose the support of the Iraqi people."

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