U.S. President George W. Bush said Wednesday that he would not be rushed into making a "difficult decision" on a new policy on Iraq, saying he would present his plan after "a long deliberation."

Bush said he was listening to a lot of advice to develop a strategy to succeed in Iraq, and he would deliver his plan after "a long deliberation, after steady deliberation."

The White House initially suggested that Bush would present his new Iraq strategy before Christmas, but the speech had been delayed until early next year.

"I'm not going to be rushed into making a difficult decision," the president told reporters after a meeting at the Pentagon with Vice President Dick Cheney, outgoing Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Joint Chiefs of Staff Peter Pace and other military leaders.

He said he wanted the incoming defense secretary, Robert Gates, who was scheduled to be sworn in next Monday, to help develop the new policy. "I also want the new Secretary of Defense to have time to evaluate the situation, so he can provide serious and deliberate advice to me," he said.

Bush said they talked about a new way forward in Iraq, and to help the Iraqi government confront and defeat the enemies.

"I am listening to a lot of advice to develop a strategy to help you succeed," he said.

The United States was committed to a "strategic goal of a free Iraq that is democratic, that can govern itself, defend itself and sustain itself and be a strong ally in this war against radicals and extremists," he said.

Bush said he rejected ideas that would lead to defeat, such as "leaving before the job is done" and "not helping this government take the necessary and hard steps to be able to do its job."

He admitted that the military could not achieve the goal in Iraq alone, and to succeed in Iraq, an effective political strategy was needed.

Earlier this week, Bush went to the State Department, met with outside experts on Iraq, talked with Iraqi officials and held discussions with U.S. filed commanders, to prepare for his new strategy on Iraq.

Editor: Yan