US President George W. Bush will not announce his new Iraq strategy until the new year, probably in January, the White House said on Tuesday.

"That is not going to happen until the new year," White House spokesman Tony Snow said. "He decided that, frankly, it's not ready yet."

Snow made the announcement after Bush held talks with US military commanders about their assessment of the situation in Iraq and possible options.

Snow said Friday that Bush could announce changes to the Iraq strategy as early as before Christmas after having a wide range of consultation on Iraq.

The spokesman insisted the new timing is not a reflection of a major last-minute shift by the White House, or that Bush is grasping for answers.

Instead, he said, the president knows the general direction he is likely to take his Iraq strategy and has instructed his team to address the many practical ramifications, such as military tactics and regional diplomacy.

"It's a complicated business and there are a lot of things to take into account," the spokesman added.

Observers have noticed that the timing shift comes as public dissatisfaction with Bush's handling of Iraq is at an all-time high, and Democrats are about to take control of Congress. 

(Xinhua News Agency December 13, 2006)