'Some patience'

Bernanke, however, allowed some leeway in the optimism and confidence he expressed.

"Recovery is not going to happen until the financial markets and the banks are stabilized," he said.

He warned the nation's 8.1 percent unemployment would continue to rise.

He also voiced concerns that the country might lack the political will to take further measures to stabilize the financial system, reiterating the call for an overhaul of the US financial regulations.

Bernanke did have every reason for such a reservation. For example, though the country agrees to reform the financial system and tighten financial supervision, its has been at odds on detailed measures.

Also for those financial groups which claimed to be profitable, their profitability and how badly their assets have been hit by the crisis remain unknown.

"The biggest risk is that we don't have the political will," said Bernanke.

There's a danger that "we don't have the commitment to solve this problem, and that we let it just continue. In which case, we can't count on recovery," warned Bernanke.

The government's plan is "going to take some patience. It's going to take some support," he said.

Bernanke's concerns mirrored the difficulties that block the country's reviving efforts. How to tackle these problems would be vital for the world's largest economy.

(Xinhua News Agency March 17, 2009)