Washington ? Two crucial pillars of President Bush’s public support – perceptions of his honesty and faith in his ability to fight terrorism – have slipped to their lowest point in the AP-Ipsos poll.

While the CIA leak investigation, the mishandling of Hurricane Katrina and high energy costs have all taken their toll, the polling found the Iraq war at the core of Americans’ displeasure with the president.

All of those concerns are cutting into traditional Bush strengths.

Almost six in 10 now say Bush is not honest, and a similar number say his administration does not have high ethical standards.

During his re-election bid in 2004, Bush skillfully wove the public’s trust of him and faith in his handling of the terror threat into a winning campaign over Democrat John Kerry.

Now, 56 percent disapprove of the way Bush is handling foreign policy and the war on terrorism, the poll found. Overall, 37 percent approve of the job Bush is doing as president.

An AP-Ipsos poll last week asked people to state in their own words why they approve or disapprove of the way Bush was doing his job. Almost six in 10 disapproved, and they most frequently mentioned the war in Iraq – far ahead of the second issue, the economy.

President Bush walks past his helicopter, Marine One, after landing on the South Lawn of the White House, returning Friday to Washington from a trip to Tobyhanna Army Depot near Wilkes-Barre, Pa., where he spoke about the war on terror. According to an Associated Press-Ipsos poll, 56 percent disapprove of the way Bush is handling foreign policy and the war on terrorism, the poll found, and, overall, only 37 percent approve of the job Bush is doing as president.

“To use an unfortunate metaphor, Iraq is a roadside bomb in American politics,” said Rich Bond, a former national Republican chairman.

Iraq has cast a cloud over Bush’s public standing in general. The public’s view of the likability of the affable president has dropped from 63 percent in August to 52 percent now.

Eighty-two percent of those polled describe Bush as “stubborn,” with seven of every 10 Republicans agreeing with that description.

Concern about the administration’s ethics has been fueled by the controversy over flawed intelligence leading up to the Iraq war and the recent indictment of I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby, top aide to Vice President Dick Cheney. Libby was charged with perjury and obstruction of justice in the outing of CIA officer Valerie Plame, a scandal that touched other top officials in the administration.