With the Iraq war entering its fifth year, U.S. President George W. Bush on Monday asked the American people for patience with the war.

"The new strategy will need more time to take effect. And there will be good days and there will be bad days ahead as the security plan unfolds," Bush said in remarks marking the fourth anniversary of the war.

The president announced a plan in January of sending over 20,000 additional U.S. combat troops to Iraq, to help quell violence in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, and Anbar Province.

At present, the "most important mission" for the United States was to help the Iraqis secure their capital, he said.

"Until Baghdad's citizens feel secure in their own homes and neighborhoods, it will be difficult for Iraqis to make further progress toward political reconciliation or economic rebuilding --steps necessary for Iraq to build a democratic society," he said.

The Iraqi government, with U.S. help, was carrying out an aggressive plan to secure Baghdad, and the United States was continuing to train the Iraqi security forces so that they could ultimately take full responsibility for the security of their own people, he said.

The administration's plan to bring security to Baghdad was till "in its early stages and success will take months, not days or weeks," said the president.

"I want to stress that this operation is still in the early stages; still in the beginning stages. Fewer than half of the troop reinforcements we are sending have arrived in Baghdad," he said.

"It could be tempting to look at the challenges in Iraq and conclude our best option is to pack up and go home. That may be satisfying in the short run, but I believe the consequences for American security would be devastating," he said.

Bush's plan of more troops for Iraq has met strong resistance from Democrats.

In February, the House passed a nonbinding resolution that opposes the Bush administration's plan to increase the number of troops in Iraq, and in early March, House Democrats introduced legislation that would have U.S. combat troops out of Iraq by August 2008.

Editor: Donald