On the American withdrawal from Iraq

Deputy commander of the American central leadership Col. Lance said that the American military leaders will start in the few coming months to study whether the armed operations in Iraq have been reduced to a rate enabling them to plan for reducing the American forces by the beginning of 2006.

Lance said that confidence between the American central leadership and the Iraqis has increased since the elections of January this year and that one of the main question the American forces in Iraq face is whether the current recession in the acts of violence will continue, and if this will be proven, the Iraqi security forces will be able to assume greater security control.

Lance added that "all indicators show that they ( the Iraqis) will be able to deal with this level of threat in the near future. But he added he cannot define what near future means and that he will consider this matter by the fall of Summer.