President George W. Bush, beset by public doubts about his leadership, has opted for a more humble tone in discussing the Iraq war, including admitting mistakes, as a way to rebuild his credibility, analysts said on Friday.

U.S. President George W. Bush (R) and British Prime Minister Tony Blair walk out of the Oval Office on the Colonnade of the White House Washington May 26, 2006. [Reuters]

Bush's shift in attitude during a Thursday news conference with British Prime Minister Tony Blair was an indication he understands the depth of public discontent with the war and the criticism that he is too stubborn to adjust his policies, they said.

Bush's change in tone did not signal a change in policies, however. He and Blair refused to set a timetable for withdrawing troops and Bush said conditions on the ground would dictate future decisions about troop levels and commitments in Iraq.

"By acknowledging past mistakes, he hoped to build some credibility for the things he is still pushing for in Iraq," said Bruce Buchanan, a political science professor at the University of Texas and a longtime Bush watcher.

"He is trying to show he is aware when things go wrong and he can make adjustments," he said. "He knows no one will support him in the future unless he admits the mistakes of the past."

Bush was unusually frank in discussing his mistakes in a war that has killed more than 2,400 Americans and thousands of Iraqis, saying he regretted the "Bring 'em on" challenge he issued to Iraqi insurgents in July 2003.

He said the remark was the "kind of tough talk, you know, that sent the wrong message to people."

Bush also said the Abu Ghraib prison abuse scandal was "the biggest mistake" in Iraq and had fueled anti-American sentiment in the Middle East. "We've been paying for that for a long period of time," he said.

Bush made similar comments in January 2005 just after his re-election to a second term, but not with the same degree of candor.

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