"It is the minimum we can ask for," al-Ojeili said.

Special coverage: Escalating Violence in Iraq Related readings: Bush, al-Maliki agree not to divide Iraq Bush: US troops will remain in Iraq

A special commission on US policy in Iraq will urge a pullback of some US troops but will not recommend a timetable for withdrawing all US forces, an official familiar with the panel's deliberations said Thursday.

The Iraq Study Group's report, to be released next Wednesday, will press for a greater shift in responsibility for the country's security from American to Iraqi forces. It will also indicate that the presence of US troops is part of the problem in Iraq, said the official, who requested anonymity because the panel's recommendations have not been made public.

Bush has steadfastly refused to announce a timeline for a troop pullout, saying that such a move would play into the hands of insurgents.

In violence on Thursday, the US military reported the deaths of two soldiers, and Iraqi officials said 47 people had been killed, including 37 bodies found dumped in various regions of the country.

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