The US Army expects to reduce its troop levels in Iraq gradually starting this summer, but no significant reduction is likely until sometime between 2006 and 2008, a senior Army general said Thursday.

　　General Richard Cody, the Army's vice chief of staff, told Pentagon reporters that when the military starts its next round ofrotation in the summer, the number of US force in Iraq will becomesmaller.

　　Cody declined to give a specific number on the expected troop level later this year. The number of American troops in Iraq is expected to go down to 138,000, the pre-election level, from the current 150,000 before the end of this month.