ABC World News title is "Bush struggling to convince public on Iraq". The public will have a lot more trouble believing him once the facts of the UK memo sink in.

US President George W Bush is still struggling to convince Americans to back his policies, according to a Time magazine poll which said 47 per cent of the public disapproves of his action.

The poll put his approval rating at 46 per cent, while the number opposed was the same as for the last poll one month ago.

Mr Bush's popularity rating fell below 50 per cent in March, largely on public concerns about his handling of the faltering economy, rising gas prices and his plans to reform the Social Security pension program.

But the Iraq insurgency has also rattled the public with just 41 per cent of respondents saying they approve of his handling of the crisis and 55 per cent saying they disapprove.

Mr Bush's popularity registered a particularly steep decline among the elderly, with 55 per cent of Americans aged 65 or older disapproving.

He also had falling poll numbers among women, with just 42 per cent approval, down from 51 per cent before November's presidential election.