London - US President George W Bush expressed regret Wednesday over the use of aggressive language over Iraq and said he should have used a "different rhetoric."

In an interview published in the Times newspaper, Bush said his stance over Iraq had made the world believe that he was a "guy really anxious for war."

His use of phrases such as "bring them on" and "dead or alive" had indicated to people that "I was, you know, not a man of peace," Bush said.

But the truth was that he found it "very painful to put youngsters in harm's way" and that he had an obligation to make sure that those lives were not lost in vain.

Bush said he was concerned that policies by Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama might open divisions in Western attitudes towards Iran's nuclear ambitions.

Berlin - Iran's nuclear programme, the situation in Afghanistan, the Middle East peace process and other international issues are set to dominate the programme when US President George W Bush and German Chancellor Angela Merkel meet near Berlin Wednesday.

Bush arrived on his farewell visit to Germany Tuesday from the EU-US summit in Brdo, Slovenia to spend the night at Schloss Meseberg, the baroque palace 70 kilometres north of the capital that the German government uses as a guesthouse.

Bush and Merkel, together with their spouses, walked in the palace gardens and had dinner together, Merkel returning the hospitality extended to her by the president on his ranch near Crawford, Texas in November last year.

Washington -  US President George W Bush left Monday

Washington - US legislators

Washington  - US President George W Bush said Tuesday he was "deeply troubled"