White House: War fatigue is 'central fact' of US politics

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The White House acknowledged Wednesday that unhappiness over Iraq was the 'central fact' of US politics but brushed off calls for a change in strategy for fighting the unpopular war.

"What's going to force a change in course is victory. That's what will force a change in course," spokesman Tony Snow said amid an outreach campaign to keep US President George W. Bush's Republicans from publicly repudiating his policy.

"There's a lot of skepticism among Republicans. As I told you, they're getting an earful from constituents," Snow said as national security adviser Stephen Hadley held meetings with worried Republicans in the US Congress.

Asked about defections from some allies, Snow said it was necessary to recognize "the central political fact in America today, which is, people are tired of the war; they want out of the war."

"But they also want the country to be safe," he said. "And it is a balance that we are going to have to reach, through a long and considered, and sometimes heated, debate. I mean, that's the way it's going to work."

Just days before the White House sends US lawmakers a 20-30 page report detailing progress in Iraq on 18 different benchmarks, Snow reiterated that it was too soon to judge the president's decision to ramp up US troops levels.

"It is way premature to try to draw judgment on the Baghdad security plan," he said.

The White House is expected to send the report to Congress on Thursday or Friday, aides said. The document runs about 20 to 30 pages, and judges whether progress towards each benchmark has been "satisfactory," "unsatisfactory" or "inconclusive," they said.