WASHINGTON ?President Bush, acknowledging that the war in Iraq has caused trauma and unease at home, indicated Tuesday that no end to the American commitment is in sight, suggesting that U.S. troops will remain there throughout the rest of his presidency.

At his second nationally televised press conference of the year, Bush said his goal was a complete withdrawal of U.S. forces, which now number about 136,000 in Iraq. But, he said, 搕hat will be decided by future presidents and future governments of Iraq.?P> The press conference was dominated by the now-3-year-old war, with 11 of the 18 questions dealing with the fighting in Iraq and its consequences. Domestic policy drew little mention, with brief attention paid to immigration, possible shifts in the White House staff, gay marriage and the economy.

The president broke little new ground on the war but used the session to pledge that he would pull the troops out immediately if he no longer could see a path to victory. Even amid growing public doubts about the conduct of the war, though, the president left no doubt that he believes victory will be achieved by following the current strategy.

揥e do have a plan for victory,?he stated.

Six times during the hour-long session in the press briefing room, the president heralded what he called the 損rogress?being made in Iraq and insisted that he was not viewing the war with rose-colored glasses.

揑 see progress,?he said, adding, 揑抳e heard people say, 慜h, he抯 just kind of optimistic for the sake of optimism.?Well, look, I believe we抮e going to succeed. And I understand how tough it is.?P> He said that optimism is what leads him to keep the troops in the war zone.

揑抦 optimistic we抣l succeed. If not, I抎 pull our troops out. If I didn抰 believe we had a plan for victory, I wouldn抰 leave our people in harm抯 way.?P> The optimism was more muted when it came to the impact of the war on his own popularity and his ability to push an agenda through Congress. Though the president continued to insist that he pays no attention to public opinion polls, it was clear that he knows he is at his lowest-ever point in the polls and that bad news from the war front is overshadowing everything he tries to do.

Only a little more than a year removed from his triumphant post-election boast that he was ready to spend his 損olitical capital?to push through an ambitious agenda, the president was more subdued this time.

揑抎 say I抦 spending that capital on the war,?he said somewhat ruefully.

The day after he gave an Iraq speech in Cleveland, he was asked about those in that Ohio city who are having second thoughts about his conduct of the war.

揑 believe that my job is to go out and explain to people what抯 on my mind,?he said. 揑 understand war creates concerns. Nobody likes war. It creates a sense of uncertainty in the country.?P> He said the doubters in Cleveland are 搖ncertain about our ability to go forward?and uncertain 揳bout whether or not we can succeed. And I understand that.?P> 揥ar creates trauma, particularly when you抮e fighting an enemy that doesn抰 fight soldier-to-soldier,?he added. 揟he use of terror by the enemy creates a sense of concern amongst our people. And that makes sense, and I know that.?P> He also disagreed with some of the more pessimistic assessments of what is happening in Iraq today. In particular, he disagreed with those who say the country already has descended into civil war.

揥e all recognize that there抯 sectarian violence,?he said, citing the recent explosion in violence, 揵ut the way I look at the situation is that the Iraqis took a look and decided not to go to civil war.?P> He said he was encouraged by the response of the Iraqi army, the country抯 religious leaders and its political leadership.

The president defended his decision to let the U.S. ambassador to Iraq open some talks with the anti-American leadership in Iran. He described it as 揳 way for us to make it clear to them ... about what抯 right or wrong in their activities inside of Iraq.?P> He said, 揧ou make it clear to them that attempts to spread sectarian violence, or to maybe move parts that could be used for IEDs, is unacceptable to the United States.?P> IEDs are the improvised explosive devices used with such deadly effect to ambush U.S. convoys on the dangerous roads of Iraq.

The press conference featured a rare exchange between the president and one of his most outspoken critics, Hearst columnist Helen Thomas. Bush made a point of calling on Thomas, who has not been given a question for more than three years after decades of being the best known presidential inquisitor at press conferences.

Talking over the columnist抯 frequent interruptions, Bush disputed her premise that he had wanted to go to war and had phonied up the rationale.

揑 didn抰 want war,?said the president. 揟o assume I wanted war is just flat wrong.?P> On other matters, the president acknowledged that his lowered public standing has members of his own party fretting about the upcoming congressional elections and is behind the growing calls from Capitol Hill for him to shake up his White House staff.

揟hey抮e obviously expressing concerns. It抯 an election year after all,?he said, adding, 揟here抯 a certain unease as you head into an election year. I understand that.?P> But he rejected the demands that he bring in fresh blood to energize his staff, most of whom have been with him since he entered the White House in 2001.

揟hese are good, hard-working, decent people,?he said of his staff. 揑 appreciate their performance and their hard work, and they抳e got my confidence.?P> He also rejected calls to fire Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, saying he has done 揳 fine job.?P> While not ruling out bringing in any new staffers, he said, 揑抦 satisfied with the people I抳e surrounded myself with. We抳e been a remarkably stable administration. And I think that抯 good for the country.?P> On immigration, he restated his opposition to any amnesty for those in the country illegally. And he lamented the tone of the debate. 揟his could be a fractious debate, and I hope it抯 not,?he said.

揑mmigration is a very difficult issue for a lot of members. ... It抯 an emotional issue. And it抯 one that, if not conducted properly, will send signals that I don抰 think will befit the nation抯 history and traditions,?he said.