On prosecution of US soldiers by Iraqi authorities

US Department Of State spokesman Sean McCormack said yesterday about US General Caldwell earlier comments that the US would not allow its troops to be tried in Iraqi courts "That's a matter for the Department of Defense and the Iraqi Government to talk about."

This comes at a time when US soldiers have been accused of cold-blooded killing of an Iraqi family, and the rape of another family.

Army Maj. Gen. William B. Caldwell, a spokesman for Multinational Force Iraq commented in Baghdad yesterday on the U.S.-conducted criminal investigations involving a small number of American servicemembers who've been accused of committing high crimes against Iraqi citizens, including murder.

"Clearly we've got four cases that we're investigating very thoroughly here right now," Caldwell said, "but they are not at all indicative of the great performance of the men and women that are serving in the armed forces of the United States."

Caldwell confirmed that one of the cases involves former Army Pfc. Steven D. Green, who was arrested June 30 in North Carolina and faces federal rape and murder charges.