Baghdad: US Vice President Dick Cheney, an architect of the US-led invasion of Iraq, made an unannounced visit to Baghdad today, just days before the fifth anniversary of the war.

Cheney, who last visited Baghdad in May, made Iraq the first stop of his nine-day Middle East tour that will also take him to Saudi Arabia, Jerusalem, the Palestinian territories, Turkey and Oman.

But military commanders say this does not represent a trend and that attacks are actually down 60 per cent from the middle of last year.

Cheney, a strong supporter of sending an additional 30,000 US troops to Iraq last year, has warned critics that a premature US withdrawal would spark chaos and further bloodshed.

Both Democratic presidential candidates, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, have vowed to start bringing troops home in 2009 if elected. Republican candidate John McCain, also in Baghdad, said last week the quickest way of bringing the war to a conclusion was by continuing the surge.

US President George W Bush will receive a new assessment soon from the top US commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus, and US Ambassador Ryan Crocker that he will consider in deciding whether any changes are needed to US strategy.

The United States wants Saudi Arabia and other Arab allies like Egypt to establish diplomatic presences in Iraq.

Source : UNI