Commander of army visits training center

FORT RILEY, Kan. (AP) -- The Iraqi army will have enough equipment and strength to allow most U.S. troops to withdraw by 2008, Iraq's army chief said Friday.
Gen. Babaker Shawkat Zebari said the Iraqi army would soon be able to provide security for its own nation and stand with the U.S. and other countries in the larger war on terrorism.
Zebari visited Fort Riley to observe the training of U.S. transition teams that are advising the Iraqi army. He also visited the commander of a brigade of soldiers that will be heading to Iraq soon. Those soldiers are part of the 21,500 additional troops sought by President Bush as part of a security crackdown in Baghdad.
Through a translator, Zebari said the additional soldiers will be sufficient to restore order in Iraq.
In December, a close aide to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki told The Associated Press that the Iraqi leader believed his troops would be able to take over security for the country by June.