Iraq's transitional prime minister called yesterday for a speedy withdrawal of US troops and the top US commander in Baghdad said he believed a "fairly substantial" pullout could begin next spring and summer.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari said at a joint news conference with US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld that the time has arrived to plan a coordinated transition from American to Iraqi military control throughout the country.

General George Casey, the top American commander in Iraq, told US reporters travelling with Rumsfeld that he believed a US troop withdrawal could begin by spring 2006 if progress continues on the political front and if the insurgency does not expand.

When asked how soon a US withdrawal should happen, Jaafari said no exact timetable had been set. "But we confirm and we desire speed in that regard," he said, speaking through a translator. "And this fast pace has two aspects."

First, there must be a quickening of the pace of US training of Iraqi security forces, and second there must be closely coordinated planning between the US-led military coalition and the emerging Iraq Government on a security transition, Jaafari said.

"We do not want to be surprised by a withdrawal that is not in connection with our Iraqi timing," Jaafari said.

Rumsfeld was planning to get a firsthand look at the training of Iraqi security forces by watching a demonstration by a group of Iraqi special forces soldiers using live ammunition at a training range run by American troops.

US officials describe a variety of security forces being developed. Foremost is the Iraqi army, comprised mainly of infantry battalions, although there also are to be four tank battalions.

The army now has about 77,000 soldiers, and it is scheduled to expand to about 85,000 by December. It includes "intervention forces," to lead the Iraqi effort against the insurgency.

There are now about 94,000 police, most for standard traffic and patrol work. That is to grow to about 145,000 by December, and it includes "special police" commando battalions as well as a mechanized police brigade that will be a paramilitary, counterinsurgency unit intended to deploy to high-risk areas using light armoured personnel carriers.

Demand to meet deadline

Meanwhile, Rumsfeld also urged Iraqis to finish their draft constitution before an August 15 deadline.

"We don't want any delays," Rumsfeld told reporters. "Now's the time to get on with it."

Rumsfeld's tenth visit to Iraq since the invasion comes at a crucial moment in the political process, which the United States and Iraq's leaders hope will defuse an insurgency of Sunni Arabs opposed to the Shi'ite- and Kurdish-led interim government Washington backs.

A committee drafting Iraq's new constitution resumed work on Tuesday after a six-day boycott by Sunni Arab members, one of whom was assassinated last week.

The draft constitution is due by August 15. The drafters can call a six-month extension on August 1 if they are not ready, but committee chairman Humam Hamoudi has said they will be.

(China Daily July 28, 2005)