Washington, Jan 29: Bush braces Americans for possible war with Iraq "outlaw regimes" such as Iraq, North Korea and Iran that seek nuclear, chemical and biological weapons pose the "gravest danger" to the United States and the world, President George W Bush has said.

Bush did not repeat the term "axis of evil" to describe the three countries in his state of the Union address, but used similar language to describe their potential as US adversaries. He first coined the phrase in his annual speech to Congress last year.

"Today the gravest danger in the war on terror. The gravest danger facing America and the world is outlaw regimes that seek and possess nuclear, chemical and biological weapons," Bush said.
"These regimes could use such weapons for blackmail, terror, and mass murder.

"They could also give or sell those weapons to their terrorist allies, who would use them without the least hesitation."

Bush braced wary Americans on last night for the possibility of war with Iraq, saying ''some crucial hours may lie ahead'' for US troops in the region.

In his state of the Union speech, Bush also called on the UN Security Council to convene on February 5 to hear Secretary of State Colin Powell present information and intelligence about Iraq's suspected Weapons of Mass Destruction programs. Bush said if war comes with Iraq, ''We will fight with the full force and might of the United States military -- and we will prevail.''

He said he had a message for US Forces in the Gulf region: ''many of you are assembling in and near the Middle East, and some crucial hours may lie ahead. In those hours, the success of our cause will depend on you.''

Hoping to bolster his case that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is a threat, Bush said evidence from intelligence sources, secret communications and statements from people now in custody reveal that Saddam aids and protects terrorists including members of the al Qaeda network.

Bush further said that the US economy was improving after the setbacks of recent years, but still was not growing quickly enough. In his state of the Union speech, Bush touted his $ 674 billion stimulus proposal and pledged to focus on job creation.

''We must have an economy that grows fast enough to employ every man and woman who seeks a job,'' Bush said. ''after recession, terrorist attacks, corporate scandals, and stock market declines, our economy is recovering -- yet it is not growing fast enough, or strongly enough.''

Bush has called for eliminating taxes that investors pay on dividends, accelerating across-the-board rate cuts and providing a $ 400-per-child increase in the tax credit for families with children. President Bush has proposed to earmark $ 1.2 billion in research funding to spur development of clean, hydrogen-powered automobiles.

"Tonight I am proposing $ 1.2 billion in research funding so that America can lead the world in developing clean, hydrogen-powered automobiles," the US leader said in his state of the union address before a joint session of Congress yesterday.

"With a new national commitment, our scientists and engineers will overcome obstacles to taking these cars from laboratory to showroom -- so that the first car driven by a child born today could be powered by hydrogen, and pollution-free," he added.

He said this innovation would help make "our air significantly cleaner, and our country much less dependent on foreign sources of energy."

Bureau Report