BAGHDAD (Reuters):

United States President George W. Bush was under pressure from some of his closest allies yesterday to turn to arch enemies Iran and Syria for help in stabilising Iraq amid Iraqi Government paralysis and fears of all-out civil war.

A suicide bomb that killed 11 Iraqis on a minibus and news that at least nine U.S. and British troops died in the previous two days kept the pressure on Bush as he met the bipartisan Iraq Study Group yesterday to talk about changes in Iraq policy.

Yesterday's violence, which also underlined Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's problems trying to curb the bloodshed, followed attacks which killed more than 100 people on Sunday including a suicide attack on police recruits which killed 35 in Baghdad.

Bush has said he is looking for 'fresh perspectives' on Iraq after his Republican Party received a drubbing in last week's mid-term elections, losing control of both houses of Congress.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair called yesterday for Syria and Iran to be engaged in efforts to stem violence in Iraq and to secure a broader Middle East peace settlement.

Middle East strategy

Blair argued the need for a Middle East strategy that includes making clear to Damascus and Tehran how they can help in the region while warning them of the consequences of hindering peace, a spokeswoman said.

His comments, made in an annual foreign policy speech, showed his willingness to work with Syria and Iran on Iraq - an idea so far spurned by Bush, who is fiercely critical of both countries and has accused them of fomenting violence in Iraq.

Prime Minister John Howard of Australia, another of Bush's loyal backers in Iraq, also said yesterday talks should be held with Syria and Iran on ending the violence in Iraq.

Quite how far Tehran or Damascus are motivated to step into the turmoil of Iraq to aid Washington is unclear.