US speeds up Iraq pull-out

The Americans are to speed up the handover of power and the withdrawal of their forces from Iraq despite the increase in attacks on coalition forces.

Details of the new emergency timetable emerged after President George Bush held crisis talks at the White House with Paul Bremer, civilian head of the US-run occupation of Iraq.

With tensions running high in Iraq after yesterday's devastating suicide bomb in Nasiriyah killed 18 Italians, Mr Bremer has been told to recruit as many members of the old Iraqi army as he can to run security - a force of around 200,000 soldiers and 100,000 police.

In Washington, the Pentagon especially, the buzz word for the withdrawal of troops is "the glide down". The British had not wanted to pull back until next December at the earliest, and Tony Blair stated yesterday in Parliament that British and allied troops must stay in Iraq despite the new offensive by the Iraqi resistance.

In Baghdad today, the US launched airstrikes against militants who have fired mortars on their positions. Two men were killed as an Apache helicopter fired on a van.

Another US soldier died in a roadside bomb attack today - bringing to 40 the number of combat soldiers America has lost in a week.

The US commander in Iraq, Lt General Ricardo Sanchez, has talked of "taking the war" to "the men in the shadows" behind the latest attacks. He believes them to be a combination of hardened Iraqi Army soldiers, Fedayeen irregulars and terrorist groups led by Hezbollah fighters from Syria.

Radical measures are being considered, including a campaign to assassinate radical leaders opposed to the Americans and their allies.

Elections of a new Iraqi governmentare being brought forward so American forces can start pulling out in the spring.