NEW DELHI, Oct 27: Former US Democratic president Jimmy Carter called Friday for US troops to be ‘totally’ withdrawn from Iraq ‘within the next year or so’.

Mr Carter’s comments come one day after the number of US soldiers killed in Iraq hit 96 in the first three and a half weeks of October, the highest monthly toll in a year.

“I would personally like to see US troops out of Iraq within the next year or so,” said Carter.

“I don’t think so far there’s ever been any commitment from our government in Washington ever to totally withdraw from (the) Iraq military. I would like to see that commitment made,” Carter told reporters.

US President George Bush said earlier this week in Washington that US troops would not be withdrawn “until the job is down”.

Carter, who served as president from 1977-1981, said that before their withdrawal, US troops should be moved away from the Iraqi capital Baghdad.

“I would like to see US troops being withdrawn from the center of violence to more remote areas where they could be stationed and called upon to maintain security for the country,” said Carter, visiting India for a charity project.—AFP