Rice: More time for US policy on Iraq

Dubai: A bruised White House went on the offensive yesterday trying to defend its Iraq policy after the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives voted 223-201 to approve legislation to bring combat troops out of Iraq by April 1, 2008.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice defended the Baghdad government's mixed report card in Congress, saying the Bush administration needs two more months to find a "coherent way forward" in Iraq.

"We do have to recognise what a hard thing it is that they're doing. We have to continue to support them, and most importantly, we need not make premature judgments," Rice told NBC's Today show.

"They're trying to bring about fundamental changes," she said.