The top US military commander in Iraq said Friday that he expects US troop levels there to drop back to the baseline figure of 138,000 by early February.

Speaking from Iraq, Gen. George Casey told US media during a televised interview that he will send recommendations on troop withdrawals to the Bush administration in the next few weeks.

He also said by late next fall, the Iraqi military will be able to largely take the lead in the country's defense, though still under US support.

Iraqi police forces, Casey said, will be able to take charge of internal security by late next year or early 2007.

Currently, there are some 160,000 US troops in Iraq, a reinforced presence to protect the October constitutional referendum and the Dec. 15 parliamentary elections.

Casey said two extra battalions that were sent to Iraq for election security will be heading home in January.

While touting Thursday's Iraqi election as a success, the general said he expected insurgents to escalate their attacks to demonstrate they "are still strong and a factor to be reckoned with."

Earlier in the day, when meeting with Iraq's ambassador to the United Nations Samir Sumaidaie at the White House, US President George W. Bush said Thursday's elections in Iraq was "glorious" and "remarkable."

Sumaidaie said the election was "a turning point and the beginning of the end of terrorism in Iraq," but he asked Bush to stick with Iraq until "it is stable."

Source: Xinhua