Dozens of US soldiers have died in guerrilla-style attacks

The criticism came in response to Mr Bush's demand for $87bn to continue occupation and reconstruction operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In the first national address since declaring in May that America's mission in Iraq had been accomplished, Mr Bush said Iraq was "now the central front" in a global war against terrorism.

But the front runner in the race to become the Democratic presidential challenger next year, Howard Dean, said Mr Bush had himself created this front - and his "reckless" foreign and economic policies were costing American lives.

Other Democratic hopefuls, including Dick Gephardt, and John Kerry, have also joined the attack.

Mr Bush appealed for international help to resolve Iraq's security problems, saying the United Nations had a "responsibility" to take on an expanded role in the country.

Hours after his speech, the UK Government announced it would be sending about 1,200 extra troops to Iraq.

It insisted the move was not "a knee-jerk response" to recent attacks on British troops.

The president insists on his reckless economic policies at home, as well as his reckless adventures abroad Howard Dean Democratic frontrunner Watch Mr Bush's speech

The Bush administration will be hoping that the president has done enough to convince the wider public that unforeseeable events are responsible for the situation in Iraq, says the BBC's Justin Webb in Washington.

They will also hope that his appeal to the world community to do more to help will be positively received and will lead to early action, perhaps as early as next Saturday, when the United Nations Secretary General is hoping to convene a meeting of key Security Council members.

But if the American public is unconvinced and the world community sits on its hands, the president is in trouble, our correspondent says.

Stunned

Mr Bush's speech comes just days before the second anniversary of the 11 September attacks on New York and Washington.

It was after those attacks that the president first announced the launch of a war on terrorism.

But Howard Dean said he was not convinced that Saddam Hussein's Iraq could be linked to the attacks.

COST OF WAR US war funds War-related funds requested from Congress (2002-2003) - $75bn Funds for Iraq and Afghanistan requested from Congress (2003-2004) - $87bn Stabilisation Budget allocated in March for 'stabilisation phase' - $12bn Current cost of post-war occupation - $3.9bn/month Reconstruction Budget allocated in March for 'reconstruction phase' - $7.2bn Rebuilding cost (McKinsey estimate, July) - up to $90bn Iraq's estimated pre-war oil revenues - $15-25bn/year Iraq's estimated debt - $60 - 130bn US budget deficit Estimated 2002-2003 - $401bn Estimated 2003-2004 - $480bn War costs challenge for Bush

"The question is who is responsible for creating a new front, creating a source of attack on American soldiers, the killing of American soldiers and the wounding of American soldiers, whereas no such front existed before that," Mr Dean asked.

"We're now about to go over the half-trillion-dollar mark in the deficit because the president insists on his reckless economic policies at home, as well as his reckless adventures abroad," he said.

Dick Gephardt urged the administration "to begin the process of fully engaging our allies and sharing the burden of building a stable democracy in Iraq" now that the president had "recognised that he has been going down the wrong path".

Washington has presented a draft resolution to the UN Security Council in an attempt to secure a multinational force for Iraq and boost UN involvement in the country's political future.

But the draft resolution has already been criticised by France, Germany and Russia.