The leaked memorandum by President Bush’s national security adviser, Stephen J. Hadley, expressed serious doubts about whether Iraq's Prime Minister Maliki is willing or able to control the sectarian bloodshed in Iraq.

Details of a leaked memo which was sent by President George Bush's national security adviser to top US officials on 8 November, raises doubts about PM Nouri Maliki's ability to control violence in Iraq.

"His [Maliki's] intentions seem good when he talks to the Americans, and sensitive reporting suggests he is trying to stand up to the Shia hierarchy and force positive change", the memo written by adviser Stephen Hadley says, as quoted by the New York Times and ABC News, among others.

"But the reality on the streets of Baghdad suggests Maliki is either ignorant of what is going on, misrepresenting his intentions or that his capabilities are not yet sufficient to turn his good intentions into actions."

News of the memo comes as U.S. President Bush meets Nouri Al-Maliki to discuss Iraq's security situation."My questions to him will be: What do we need to do to succeed? What is your strategy in dealing with the sectarian violence? I will assure him that we will continue to pursue al Qaeda to make sure that they establish a safe haven in Iraq," Bush said speaking in Estonia.

White House spokesman Tony Snow said the chief aim of the memo was "to support Maliki and enhance his capabilities". Bush has said he intends to ask pointed questions of the Iraqi prime minister about how he intends to help stem the violence.

"The Maliki government is going to have to deal with that violence, and we want to help them do so. It's in our interest that we succeed," President Bush said speaking in Estonia about sectarian violence in Iraq, where U.S. involvement now exceeds the length of America's participation in World War II.