The top U.S. General in Iraq Gen. George Casey gestures during a news briefing at the Pentagon on Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2006 in Washington.  (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery >>>

    WASHINGTON, Oct. 11 (Xinhua) -- The chief of the U.S. Army said Wednesday that he plans to keep current American troops level in Iraq through 2010.

    The chief of staff, General Peter Schoomaker, told a Pentagon press briefing that he aimed to have enough troops at the ready in Iraq through 2010.

    U.S. troops levels in Iraq could be adjusted to actual conditions, and it was easier to hold back forces scheduled to go there than to prepare and deploy units at the last minute, he said.

    He cautioned however that was "not a prediction that things are going poorly or better."

    Currently there were about 141,000 American soldiers in Iraq, including 120,000 troops from the Army.

    U.S. officials had hoped last year to reduce American troops in Iraq to below 100,000 by the end of this year, but the number of forces was raised with escalating violence and sectarian tensions in the war-ravaged country. Enditem

People stand near a car bomb wreckage near Southeastern Baghdad on Wednesday, Oct.11, 2006. Two people were killed and more than 20 were wounded in the blast.(Xinhua/AFP Photo) Photo Gallery >>>

War has cost 600,000 lives in Iraq

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107 bullet-riddled bodies found around Baghdad

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Violence, killings escalate in Iraq: U.N. official

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