WASHINGTON, Nov. 3 (Xinhuanet) -- The Pentagon said Thursday that it will scale back the troop level in Iraq to 138,000 after the country's Dec. 15 election.

    The plan was announced by James T. Conway, director of operations for the US Joint Chiefs of Staff at a Pentagon news conference.

    He said the US military will keep a reinforced level of some 160,000 soldiers through the election and then make a "fairly rapid" reduction to what has been the standard troop level of about 138,000.

    "I think the answer is, as soon as possible, as soon as our logistics capability will allow us to do that, we will come back to that steady state" of about 138,000 troops, said Conway.

    However, the plan could be constrained by the availability of transport aircraft and ships to carry troops home, he said.

    Conway stressed that the level of 160,000 troops is the "baseline figure" through the election period, adding that the number would fluctuate as fresh Army forces arrive to replace those completing their one-year tours of duty.

    Three of the US 101st Airborne Division's four combat brigades,for example, have recently arrived in Iraq, and the US 4th Infantry Division is beginning to move in.

    The Pentagon raised troop levels to 160,000 before the Iraq's consitutional referendum in October and parliamentary election in December because of expectations that the insurgents will intensify attacks to hamper the voting. Enditem