The withdrawal of US forces from Iraq is on schedule for shrinking the presence to 50,000 by the end of August, the top US commander in the country said.
General Ray Odierno told reporters that the withdrawal pace will not be slowed by ongoing negotiations by Iraqi leaders to form a new government following March 7 elections, or by a recent spate of al- Qaeda bombings, DPA reported.
"We are on our plan," said Odierno, who plans to leave Iraq later this year to take up a new post in the Pentagon. Odierno briefed President Barack Obama on Wednesday.
There are now 88,000 soldiers remaining in Iraq, Odierno said, smaller than the US contingency in Afghanistan, where the conflict has become a top priority for Obama.
Obama has ordered an end to the US combat role by the end of August, which would leave behind a force of 50,000 to continue training and advising Iraqi security forces. All US troops are scheduled to depart by the end of 2011.
Odierno said the military is ahead of schedule at shipping equipment out of the country and at turning bases over to the Iraqi government. The Americans currently occupy 126 bases compared to 500 a year ago, and that number will be down to 94 by the end of August, he said.
Al-Qaeda in Iraq has also suffered severe setbacks in recent months, including the deaths or capture of 34 of its top 42 operatives, Odierno said.
"They're clearly now attempting to reorganize themselves," Odierno said. "They're struggling a little bit."
Despite the progress, there will be continued violence in Iraq and al-Qaeda and its operatives remain dangerous, Odierno said.
"There will still be bad days in Iraq. There are still violent elements that operate inside of Iraq," he said. "Their violence is less than it was before, but it's still violence."