On the eve of the second anniversary of the war in Iraq, US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says the level of US and coalition force in Iraq should decline over time as Iraqi security forces become more capable of assuming responsibility.(Photo: AFP/AP)

    BEIJING, March. 19 -- On the eve of the second anniversary of the war in Iraq, US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says the level of US and coalition force in Iraq should decline over time as Iraqi security forces become more capable of assuming responsibility.

    Rumsfeld made the remarks at an informal meeting in the Pentagon Friday.

    "Coalition forces will continue to pare down. As the Iraqi security forces go up and as the insurgency is dealt with over the period ahead, why we ought to be able to adjust those levels."

    But he adds that forces levels will "bulge" during key election periods later this year.

    Rumsfeld was also asked about US troop withdrawals from Iraq but did not make any predictions as to when significant numbers of American troops would be withdrawn from the country.

    On the issue of US troops in South Korea, Rumsfeld says US forces will soon be withdrawn from the Demilitarised Zone and Seoul, and be replaced by South Korean troops.

    But the US military would continue to maintain a presence at "a sea hub and an air hub". Enditem

(Source:CRIENGLISH.com)