The White House yesterday fuelled concerns about its strategy for dealing with Iraq when it delayed a speech by President George W. Bush that would have laid out his "new way forward" for the country, writes Caroline Daniel in Washington.

Tony Snow, White House spokesman, said Mr Bush had "decided, frankly" that the speech was "not ready yet", and that it would not be delivered until the new year. "We do not know when, so I can't give a date, I can't give you a time, I can't give you a place."