145;Top US commander for troop pullout146;

The top US commander in Iraq will recommend pulling US troops out of some areas where commanders believe security has improved, the Los Angeles Times said on Wednesday, citing Bush administration officials.

Gen David Petraeus8217;s assessment of the situation in Iraq, to be issued in September, is regarded as pivotal amid pressure for President George W Bush to change course in the conflict. The newspaper on its website said that instead of reducing the overall number of U S troops in Iraq, Petraeus could call for them to be moved to other areas or for the creation of a reserve force in case of an increase in violence.

8220;That is the form of the recommendation we are anticipating him to come back with,8221; the newspaper quoted a senior administration official as saying. The newspaper said administration officials who supported current troop levels hope Petraeus8217;s recommendation would stave off calls in the US Congress for a major force reduction.

Officials told the Times they expected Petraeus to push to maintain current force levels for at least six more months to build on security improvements in Baghdad.