United States President George Bush said on Wednesday American patience over Iraq had its limits but pledged not to put unbearable pressure on the country’s leaders, after a protest by Iraq’s prime minister. Bush sought to explain his Iraq policies to Americans and smooth over new frictions with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.

United States President George Bush signed a law on Tuesday authorising tough interrogation and prosecution of terrorism suspects and took an indirect, election-year swipe at Democrats who opposed the legislation. Bush, trying to help Republicans maintain control of the US Congress by emphasising national security, called the Military Commissions Act of 2006 ”one of the most important pieces of legislation in the war on terror”.