Army General John P. Abizaid, chief of the U.S. Central Command stated this past Wednesday that a reduction of forces in Iraq would debilitate efforts to secure the country.

"This level will probably have to be sustained through the spring and then we will reevaluate. I do believe that the secular tensions, if left unchecked, could be fatal to Iraq . . . and the center of the problem is Baghdad. It's the main effort” more

The General went on to say that there was the possibility of further troop increases should the need arise, though he denied any plans to increase troop levels in the troubled province of Anbar despite the recommendations of a senior Marine intelligence officer in Anbar made in a classified report last month.