United States 'trapped' in Iraq: Annan

SWITZERLAND: US forces are trapped in Iraq, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said on Tuesday, warning that Washington must find the right time to leave without plunging the country deeper into chaos.

"On the question of the military presence it is a difficult issue. The US is in a way trapped in Iraq, trapped in the sense that it cannot stay and it cannot leave," Annan told a press conference.

"The timing of its departure will have to be optimal," he added.

An eventual withdrawal of US forces should "not lead to a further deterioration," Annan cautioned.

The UN chief said Washington should instead "try and get it to a level that when it withdraws, the Iraqis themselves will be able to maintain a situation that would ensure a reasonable secure environment".

The debate in the United States over options in Iraq has intensified in recent weeks, with the military reportedly ready to temporarily increase US forces by up to 30,000 troops while expanding training for Iraqi forces.

The Washington Post reported Monday that three basic options have emerged in a strategy review in the Pentagon, led by a hybrid that would beef up US forces for a short period to dampen sectarian violence.

A sizeable boost in US troops would run counter to the strong current of public anger over Iraq, which swept Democrats to power in Congressional elections earlier this month.

Annan said in Geneva that one key immediate step for Iraq was to revise its constitution to ensure fair power and revenue sharing between its feuding communities, especially to allay the fears of Sunni Muslims in the country.

Iraq is riven by fighting between rival Sunni and Shiite Arab factions. The Kurdish minority's dream of independence has also been put on hold while parliament debates plans for a federation of autonomous provinces.

Geneva, Wednesday, AFP