US now to rely more on Iraqi forces for security: Powell

Iraqis stand in front of a building yesterday that was the scene of a heavy fighting between US soldiers and Iraqi militants in central Baghdad on Friday. Photo: AFP

"Iraqis have started to create security forces that will protect installations, so that you don't need a coalition military organization protecting that installation," Powell said.

"We have to be nimble, flexible, call audibles as the situation changes," he said at a news conference, using the football term for making last-minute plan changes.

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At the same time, Powell said the United States intends to use whatever techniques are appropriate against Saddam Hussein's followers and other anti-American fighters, some of whom have crossed into the country.

Two US soldiers were wounded in a fierce gunbattle Thursday in central Baghdad. On Wednesday night, two American soldiers were killed in a firefight in the Al Rashid section of the capital.

The deaths brought to 55 the number of US troops killed in combat since May 1, when President Bush declared major fighting over.

At the Pentagon, an official said the United States was not changing its security role in Iraq. Iraqis have been trained from the beginning in police and security functions so they could provide safety and security for the Iraqi people, the official said.Outside the Jordanian Embassy on Thursday a powerful car bomb exploded, hurling vehicles in the air and killing at least 11 people. Many more people were wounded.

Powell said he had telephoned Foreign Minister Marwan Muasher of Jordan to express his regrets over the loss of Jordanians and innocent Iraqis who happened to be on the street.

Powell said, "The terrorists need to know we will not be deterred."

"We intend to not stay any longer than we have to, but we will stay long enough to make sure that we allow the Iraqi people... to put in place a representative form of government," he said.

At the Pentagon, spokesman Lawrence Di Rita said there were probably 40,000 or more armed Iraqis "protecting things in a variety of different ways."

"It's going to take time to get to the really robust numbers that Iraq needs, but it's going in the right direction," he said.