WASHINGTON, March 19 (Xinhua) -- On the third anniversary of the Iraq war, the top commander of U.S. forces in Iraq said Sunday that U.S. troops will likely remain there for a few more years though the number will be reduced.

    Appearing on TV news network NBC's "Meet the Press," Gen. George W. Casey said "a couple of more years" will be needed for the U.S. military presence in that country with "a gradually reducing coalition presence" as Iraqi security forces get more capable of dealing with the insurgency.

    The general acknowledged that at the beginning of the war, the U.S. military may have had underestimated the insurgency.

    He also admitted that the current situation in Iraq is fragile and will likely remain so until a new government of national unity is formed.

    Casey said civil war remains a possibility because of increased sectarian tensions and violence, but he denied it will happen soon.

    Echoing the Bush administration's defense of its war policy, he claimed "good progress" is being made both politically and militarily in Iraq.

    Also appearing on "Meet the Press", leading congressional war critic John Murtha, a member of the House from Pennsylvania, repeated his call for redeploying U.S. troops over a six-month period to take them out of what he called a civil war.

    Confronting Casey, the congressman said he did not see any progress in Iraq in terms of the slow training of security forces and the low levels of employment, fresh water, electricity and oil production. Enditem