(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-09-13 23:30

WASHINGTON -- Ahead of a national address on the Iraqi war, Americans remain deeply skeptical about the policies which President George W. Bush is pursuing and unhappy with his job performance, according to a CNN poll released Thursday.

The new poll, which comes as Bush is expected to announce his plans for cutting back the number of US troops in Iraq, showed the president's approval rating in the survey was 36 percent -- unchanged from an August poll and barely above its January level.

At the same time, 61 percent of those polled disapproved of Bush's performance in office -- and the same number said they believe his policies are taking the country in the wrong direction.

The survey interviewed 1,017 American adults last Friday through last Sunday.

Bush is scheduled to deliver a brief address on the Iraq war at 9:01 pm Thursday (0101 GMT) Friday, in which he is expected to announce he will follow the recommendations of his top commander in Iraq to withdraw up to 30,000 US troops by next summer.

The poll found more Americans believe Democratic leaders would move the country in the right direction.

Fifty percent of those surveyed expressed support for the Democrats, while 34 percent expressed confidence in Bush.

The survey also showed war remains widely unpopular among Americans, with 63 percent opposing the war and 34 percent supporting it.