Robert Gates to meet coalition commanders

US secretary of defence Robert Gates, on his second trip to Iraq in less than a month, arrived unannounced today in the southern city of Basra to consult with British and other allied commanders.

Britain, which has the largest troop contingent among the US allies, with about 7,000 soldiers in the Basra area, is planning to withdraw a large portion of them this year.

Gates said at the outset of his week-long overseas trip that he realised the security situation in southern Iraq is different than in Baghdad, where the US is building up its troop strength.

Gates was meeting with Gen George Casey, the top US commander in Iraq, as well as Maj Gen Jonathan Shaw, the newly arrived commander of British forces in Basra.

Later Gates was to meet with commanders from Poland, Australia, Denmark and Romania, and have lunch with coalition troops who are training the Iraqi army.

On his first visit to Iraq after being sworn in on December 18, Gates met in Baghdad with US commanders and Iraqi government leaders just weeks before US President George Bush announced his new strategy for Iraq, which includes sending an additional 21,500 troops to Baghdad and the western Anbar region.