More Good News from Iraq....

Here's a British report of further progress in Iraq.

Britain's senior officer in Iraq yesterday hailed a string of victories over the country's insurgency and predicted that the coalition military would soon transfer control of some provinces to local forces.

Lt Gen Sir John Kiszely, who is also the American-led coalition's second-in-charge, said consultations for a hand-over to Iraqi military units could begin "within the next few weeks".

His comments, which reflect a growing mood of optimism among top-ranking American officials in Iraq, will bolster hopes among those calling for a scaling back of foreign troops in the country.