US general Iraq violence still unacceptably high

WASHINGTON, Nov 15 (Reuters) The top US general in West Asia today said sectarian violence in Iraq was still ''unacceptably high'' but had lessened since he warned in August the conflict was the worst he had seen.

But Army Gen. John Abizaid, in the military's first appearance on Capitol Hill since voters angered by Iraq drove Republicans out of power in the next Congress, said he did not need more troops on the ground.

''I believe that the troop levels need to stay where they are,'' Abizaid told the Senate Armed Services Committee. The United States has 141,000 troops in Iraq.

David Satterfield, senior adviser to the US secretary of state and coordinator for Iraq, told the committee that the United States was prepared to talk to Iran about Tehran's role in Iraq. US officials have regularly charged that Iran was fueling violence in Iraq.

''We are prepared in principle to discuss Iranian activities in Iraq,'' he said. ''The timing of such a direct dialogue is one that we still have under review.'' REUTERS SY VV2333