WASHINGTON, Oct. 5 (Xinhuanet) -- The former US high-ranking official in Iraq has said that the United States failed to deploy enough troops in the country and curb the violence and looting soon after the ouster of Saddam Hussein, former Iraqi president.

   Criticizing his country for making what he called "two major mistakes," Paul Bremer, former head of the US occupation forces in Iraq, said that "we never had enough troops on the ground."   Bremer, who returned to the United States after the transfer ofpower from US occupation forces to the Iraqi interim government inJune, made the remarks on Monday while delivering an address to aninsurance group in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, The Washington Post reported Tuesday.

   He said that while he arrived in Iraq in May 2003 he found "horrid" looting and a very unstable situation in the country. "we paid a big price for not stopping it because it established an atmosphere of lawlessness," Bremer added.

   Bremer's comments echoed contentions of many administration critics, including Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry, who argue that the Bush administration has no plan for how to maintain security in Iraq.

   His comments were also in sharp contrast with the statements repeatedly made by the White House and Pentagon that there were enough US ground forces in Iraq.

   But Bremer defended the US invasion of Iraq by saying that he was "more convinced than ever that regime change was the rightthing to do."  "I am optimistic about the future in Iraq," he added.

   In a statement Monday night to the paper, Bremer expressed hisfull support for the Bush administration's strategy in Iraq.

    "I believe that we currently have sufficient troop levels inIraq," he said.  Enditem