U.S. President George W. Bush said Wednesday he plans to consider his options before deciding on a strategy change for Iraq.

Although the White House had initially suggested Bush would deliver a speech on Iraq strategy before Christmas, he said Wenesday he has decided to delay it until early next year.

"I will not be rushed into making a difficult decision … a necessary decision," the president told reporters after 90 minutes of consultations at the Pentagon in Washington.

At the meeting with top U.S. generals and Defence Department officials, Bush said he heard some interesting ideas and other ideas that would lead to what he termed defeat in Iraq, "and I reject those ideas."

He said those ideas included "leaving before the job is done; ideas such as not helping this [Iraqi] government take the necessary and hard steps to be able to do its job."

Bush said he and the nation's top military commanders had a candid discussion about how to secure the United States and about how to win the war in Iraq.

The president acknowledged that the level of violence in Iraq has been "horrific," and said he appreciates the sacrifices made by the nearly 140,000 American troops on duty there in the wake of the 2003 overthrow of former dictator Saddam Hussein.

"I want them to know I'm focused on developing a strategy that will help them achieve their mission," he said.

"I know there is a lot of debate at home, and our troops pay attention to that debate," he added.