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New US defence secretary in Iraq Najaf handed to Iraqis' control
(about 2 hours later)
The new US Defence Secretary Robert Gates is in the Iraqi capital Baghdad two days after being sworn-in. The US military has handed over security of Iraq's Najaf province, south of the capital Baghdad, to government forces.
Mr Gates is meeting military commanders and Iraqi politicians to get advice on a new policy for the country that President Bush is formulating. Najaf is the third province to come under Iraqi security control.
His visit comes one day after the White House confirmed that President George W Bush was considering increasing the number of US troops in Iraq. The handover occurred as the new US Defence Secretary Robert Gates arrived in Iraq two days after taking office.
On Monday, the Pentagon said Iraq violence was at its highest since 2004. Mr Gates is meeting military commanders and Iraqi politicians to get advice on a new policy for the country that President George W Bush is formulating.
"The whole purpose is to go out, listen to the commanders, talk to the Iraqis, and see what I can learn," Mr Gates said on Tuesday as he left for Iraq. 'Growing capability'
'Broader struggle' The handover ceremony took place under heavy security in a stadium in the city of Najaf, the province's capital.
A temporary deployment of extra troops in Iraq was "something that's being explored" as Mr Bush considers his strategy on Iraq, White House spokesman Tony Snow said on Tuesday. The senior US commander present, Maj Gen Kurt Cichowski, said the handover was a sign of the growing capability of Iraq's security forces.
Mr Bush is also thinking about boosting the overall size of the US military to deal with the broader, long-term fight against terrorism, the president told the Washington Post newspaper. But Iraq's national security advisor, Mouwaffaq al-Rubaie, sounded a note of caution.
The whole purpose is to go out, listen to the commanders, talk to the Iraqis, and see what I can learn US Defence Secretary Robert Gates "If we don't handle the responsibility, history will destroy us," he said.
Mr Gates has also been asked to assess that idea. If we don't handle the responsibility, history will destroy us Iraq's national security advisor Mouwaffaq al-Rubaie
"I'm inclined to believe that we do need to increase our troops - the Army, the Marines," Mr Bush said. British forces handed over Muthana province in the south in July and Dhi Qar province was transferred to Iraqi control in September.
The president gave no estimates on how many troops might be added but said he agreed with Pentagon and Capitol Hill officials that the current military is being stretched too thin. The UK wants to hand over Basra province in the first half of 2007.
As the ceremony was taking place, Mr Gates arrived in Baghdad to examine in person the options facing the US in Iraq.
Military over-stretch
The visit comes as the White House confirmed that Mr Bush was thinking about increasing the numbers of US troops in Iraq.
Mr Bush said the current military is being stretched too thinMr Bush also told the Washington Post newspaper that the US might need a larger military to deal with the broader, long-term fight against terrorism.
Mr Gates has been asked to assess both ideas.
The president said he agreed with Pentagon and Capitol Hill officials that the military is being stretched too thin.
The US currently has about 140,000 troops in Iraq.The US currently has about 140,000 troops in Iraq.
'Attacks rising' Increasing violence
The president said he has not yet made a decision about a new strategy for Iraq, which he is expected to announce next month. Mr Bush said he has not yet made a decision about a new strategy for Iraq, which he is expected to announce next month.
Mr Bush said the current military is being stretched too thinAttacks on US and Iraqi troops and civilians reached their highest level since power was handed over to an interim Iraqi government in June 2004, a Pentagon report said on Monday. Attacks on US and Iraqi troops and civilians reached their highest level since power was handed over to an interim Iraqi government in June 2004, a Pentagon report said on Monday.
It said the number of attacks had risen to almost 1,000 a week, with the worst violence in Baghdad and the western province of Anbar, long the focus of activity by Sunni insurgents. It said the worst violence was in Baghdad and the western province of Anbar, long the focus of activity by Sunni insurgents.
The report came just hours after the new US defence secretary said failure in Iraq would be a "calamity" that would haunt the US for many years. The report came just hours after the new defence secretary said failure in Iraq would be a "calamity" that would haunt the US for many years.
Mr Gates spoke after taking his oath of office as the new US defence secretary, replacing Donald Rumsfeld.
He said Iraq would be his top priority.
Mr Gates also vowed not to let Afghanistan become "a sanctuary for extremists" again.