Jan. 24 (Bloomberg) -- President George W. Bush, confronting growing dissent in Congress over the conflict in Iraq, pleaded for more time to let his war strategy work and offered domestic energy, health care and immigration initiatives that he said would provide common ground for a divided country.

In his State of the Union address last night, Bush defended his decision to send 21,500 more soldiers and Marines into Iraq and warned that backing off might unleash ``a contagion of violence'' across the Middle East.

``Whatever you voted for, you did not vote for failure,'' Bush told members of the House and Senate. ``Our country is pursuing a new strategy in Iraq, and I ask you to give it a chance to work.''

With U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi sitting in the background on Bush's left and Vice President Dick Cheney on his right, Bush stood at the rostrum of the House chamber where Democrats are in charge of the legislative agenda for the first time since he took office in 2001.

Bush, 60, devoted almost half of his 50-minute speech to Iraq, the broader war on terrorism, the spread of Islamic extremists and the need to stop countries such as Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

He faces his greatest challenge on Iraq. A Bloomberg News/Los Angeles Times poll taken Jan. 13-16 found 60 percent of Americans oppose his plan to add troops to the 132,000 already in Iraq. Bush suffered another blow this week when Senator John Warner of Virginia, a Republican leader on defense issues, endorsed a resolution opposing Bush's new strategy.

`Best Chance of Success'

The president repeated the arguments he made in announcing the troop increase on Jan. 10, saying he discussed ``every possible approach'' with his military commanders.

``In the end, I chose this course of action because it provides the best chance of success,'' he said.

Newly elected Senator Jim Webb of Virginia, a Vietnam War veteran whose son is a Marine deployed in Iraq, responded for the Democrats with a rebuke.

The country has ``patiently endured a mismanaged war for nearly four years,'' he said. Bush took the nation into war ``recklessly'' and the country is now ``held hostage to the predictable, and predicted, disarray that has followed.''

He said Bush must bring U.S. combat forces home from Iraq without leaving behind chaos and act to improve economic prospects for middle-class Americans.

``If he does, we will join him,'' Webb said. ``If he does not, we will be showing him the way.''

Consultations

In a concession to lawmakers who've complained that Bush's failure to consult with them is part of the reason he's lost support on the war, the president proposed creation of an advisory council on the fight against terrorism. It would be made up of Democratic and Republican congressional leaders.

``We will share ideas for how to position America to meet every challenge that confronts us,'' Bush said. ``And we will show our enemies abroad that we are united in the goal of victory.''

Bush urged both political parties to put aside difference to accomplish ``big things'' for the country.

Bush's appeal for unity included an unusual departure from his prepared text to offer personal congratulations to Pelosi, a California Democrat who is the first woman to fill that position. He noted that her late father, Thomas d'Alessandro Jr., who represented Baltimore in the House, heard Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman deliver speeches from the rostrum.

`Madam Speaker'

``But nothing could compare with the sight of his only daughter, Nancy, presiding tonight as speaker of the House of Representatives,'' he said. ``Congratulations, Madam Speaker.''

The first half of the address focused on domestic goals where he sees the potential for support from Democrats as well as Republicans: significantly increasing use of renewable fuels to cut dependence on foreign oil, making health insurance more affordable, and balancing the federal budget.

On energy, Bush asked Congress to increase the government mandate for the use of so-called biofuels such as corn-based ethanol to 35 billion gallons by 2017, about five times the current target amount for 2012.

``America is on the verge of technological breakthroughs'' such as battery-powered cars and biofuels ``that will enable us to live our lives less dependent on oil,'' Bush said.

Without naming specific targets, he called for higher fuel economy standards for cars and trucks. Both measures would cut gasoline usage by 20 percent and stop the growth of carbon dioxide emissions within 10 years, according to Bush's plan.

Energy Independence

As he has in every State of the Union since he took office, Bush called for the U.S. to be less reliant on foreign sources of petroleum. The need for energy independence has intensified as oil soared to a record $78.40 a barrel last year and as energy exporters such in Russia, Venezuela and Iran exert more influence in the world at the expense of U.S. diplomacy.

``What this reflects is a recognition that the problem of energy insecurity is now so severe that we need to bring to bear all of the possible solutions,'' said Frank Gaffney, president of the Center for Security Policy, Washington-based group that advocates U.S. energy independence.

While the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers endorsed Bush's energy plans, environmental and consumer groups called them half-hearted.

Bush made a single mention of the ``serious challenge'' of global climate change.

`Long Overdue'

World Wildlife Fund President Carter Roberts called the acknowledgment of global warming ``welcome news and long overdue'' even if the prescriptions fell short.

``A couple of technological fixes, while part of the solution, have to be part of a much bigger solution'' that includes mandatory caps on carbon dioxide emissions, Roberts said in an interview after the speech.

Addressing health care, one of the biggest concerns of the public, Bush asked lawmakers to approve changes to the tax code that would penalize individuals enrolled in employer-sponsored health-care plans valued at more than $7,500 for individuals and $15,000 families and encourage the uninsured to buy low-cost coverage by providing a tax deduction.

The proposal drew quick criticism from Democrats and union leaders who said it would punish the middle class. Even Republicans said they were wary.

Skepticism

Representative Roy Blunt, the No. 2 House Republican, said lawmakers will look carefully at Bush's health-care proposal.

``Members of Congress will be much more skeptical about that than they are energy independence because it's a new thought,'' Blunt said in an interview. ``It's a little bit of tax equalization.''

The president also sought to revive his proposal for overhauling the nation's immigration laws, including setting up a system that gives legal status to immigrants seeking jobs.

``We cannot fully secure the border unless we take pressure off the border, and that requires a temporary worker program,'' Bush said, repeating language he used when first outlining his goals.

He also called on Congress to act on the growing cost of entitlements such as Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, saying, ``We are failing in that duty.''

To contact the reporters on this story: Brendan Murray in Washington at brmurray@bloomberg.net; Catherine Dodge in Washington at cdodge1@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: January 24, 2007 00:05 EST