Republican candidate McCain in Iraq

US Republican presidential candidate John McCain arrived in Iraq today to assess improved security attributed to a build-up of 30,000 extra troops of which he has been a strong supporter.

Mr McCain arrived in Baghdad and was due to meet Iraqi government leaders and US officials in the heavily fortified Green Zone diplomatic and government compound, US embassy spokeswoman Mirembe Nantongo said.

Attacks across Iraq have fallen by 60 per cent since last June, when extra troops were fully deployed. There has been a fall in violence since January but US commanders in Iraq say this does not represent a trend.

Mr McCain is making his eighth visit to Iraq since the US-led invasion to topple Saddam Hussein in March 2003.

He originally opposed the way the war was being conducted before the troop build-up began last year as part of a new counter-insurgency strategy by US commanders.