Army Major General Stanley McChrystal said that while looting was a problem, it was not a major threat and would have to be dealt with later.

"You can't do everthing at once," he said.

"Although you try to do as many things simultaneously as you can do safely, clearly the focus right now has got to be on getting the death squads and the Special Republican Guard elements identified and defeated and out of the city because that is the major threat," he said.

Baghdad and Basra have been hit by widespread looting since the collapse of the Iraqi regime, raising concerns among some residents and relief workers over the rising insecurity.

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