The Pentagon's top brass was to take to the airwaves to brace the public for fierce battles in a war of unknown length in Iraq. General Richard Myers fired the opening salvo of the campaign, on BBC television in London early Sunday. "The toughest fighting is ahead of us," said the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, amidst criticism that US President George W. Bush and his aides had given overly optimistic estimates of Iraqi resistance and the length of the war.

"I'm not going to make a prediction in terms of how long this conflict will last," said Myers.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was also scheduled for interviews on two Sunday news shows.

Bush said Saturday that US and British forces were advancing steadily on Baghdad in the face of fierce fighting by "the most desperate" Iraqi units.

But US forces were largely dug in over the weekend, waiting for their supply lines to catch up.


PHOTO CAPTION

US President George W. Bush waves from a sports utility vehicle. He was defended by US newspaper The Washington Post(AFP/Manny Ceneta)