Washington, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- An independent commission, composed of retired senior military and police officers, recommended to Congress on Thursday for U.S. troop reduction in Iraq to improve the country's image.

    The 20-member panel suggested that the United States reduce its presence in Iraq to counter its image as an "occupying force."

General David Petraeus (L), the top US commander in Iraq, meets U.S. soldiers at their military camp in Falluja, 50 km (30 miles) west of Baghdad, September 1, 2007. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
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    The recommendation was made at the hearing of the Senate's Armed Services Committee to assess Iraqi political and security progress.

    "The force footprint should be adjusted in our view to represent an expeditionary capability and to combat a permanent-force image of today's presence," said retired Marine Gen. James Jones, head of the commission, at the hearing.

    The commission said in an assessment report released on Thursday that the Iraqi security forces showed "uneven progress" and could not take over security in the next 12 to 18 months.

    The 37-page report is among several independent studies authorized by Congress in May.

    The U.S. troops could play a vital role in logistics and training, among others, while allowing Iraqi troops take more leadership, Jones said.

U.S. soldiers arrest a mock suspect during an exercise at the Babadag training area, 300km east of Bucharest September 6, 2007.  (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
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    However, he opposed to set a deadline on U.S. troop withdrawals, saying "a deadline of this magnitude would against our national interest."

    In another Congressional report released on Tuesday about Iraqi government's performance on fulfilling political and security benchmarks, the Government Accountability Office, known as "investigative arm of Congress," decided that Baghdad had failed 11of all 18 goals.

    The White House is expected to release its own report later this month, which is seen to fuel the contention over U.S. troop reduction in Iraq.