WASHINGTON, Oct. 26 (Xinhuanet) -- US Ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad said here Wednesday that political progress and military buildup in Iraq may allow the United States to cut its military presence in 2006.

    "I do believe it's possible that we could adjust our forces, downsizing them in the course of next year. That's possible given the positive political developments and the continuing growth in the capabilities of the Iraqi forces," Khalilzad said at the White House.

    "As the political situation changes, as the Iraqi capabilities grow, we'll adjust the size, the composition and the mission of our forces, because the military commanders are very focused on this. They make recommendations to the president," he said.

    "The composition of the forces that we have there and their mission are not ends in themselves for us. What it is Iraq being able to stand on its own feet. That's the end: Iraq succeeding," the ambassador told reporters.

    With the US military death toll in Iraq poised to surpass 2,000, Bush rejected on Tuesday growing calls for a US withdrawal by saying this would give Islamic extremists like Osama bin Laden a base for strikes at Europe, the United States and Israel. Enditem