Gates's visit, following a trip to Afghanistan where Washington is ramping up its military commitment, followed massive bombings that rocked the Iraqi capital and killed 127 people on Tuesday.

In a meeting with President Jalal Talabani that lasted more than an hour, Gates "offered any assistance the Iraqis may need to deal with the bombings," Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell told reporters.

"He also offered his condolences on the bombing this week."

According to Morrell, Gates told the presidency council, made up of Talabani and his two deputies: "The bombings are a tragic reminder it's not over yet. There is still work to be done. This fight has to be carried out on a continuing basis."

Gates's scheduled meeting with Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki was cancelled because the premier was involved in a question and answer session in parliament over Tuesday's attacks.

Lieutenant General Charles Jacoby, the number two US commander in Iraq, told reporters that American forces had provided "crime scene investigation capabilities", adding: "They asked for help. We responded very quickly."

Although the United States still has 115,000 soldiers stationed in Iraq, combat forces are not allowed in the country's urban centres without Baghdad's approval.

The Al-Qaeda-linked Islamic State of Iraq claimed responsibility for Tuesday's bombings.

"This is a pattern that we have seen develop as Al-Qaeda in Iraq and other terrorist organisations there have diminished in their power, in their resources," Morrell said.

Large-scale attacks like Tuesday's are "sort of a desperate attempt to stay relevant and to try to destabilise the government of Iraq" and relaunch sectarian violence, but "I don't think anybody believes that it will be successful."

Jacoby, meanwhile, insisted the US would reduce its troop figures on schedule despite Tuesday's bombings and delays to Iraq's parliamentary elections, which were originally set to take place on January 16 but will now be held on March 7.

"We are on track," he said, referring to a plan that would leave 50,000 US troops in Iraq by the end of August ahead of a full withdrawal of all forces by the end of 2011.

He added, however, that military leaders "don't necessarily want to do that any faster" than planned.

His comments echo those of Admiral Michael Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who told reporters on Wednesday that the pullout would go ahead as has been mapped out.

Regarding the March polls, Morrell said Gates, who was on his first trip to Iraq since July, "offered his congratulations on the passage of the election law" which paved the way for the vote.

"We certainly hope that that spirit of unity and cooperation will carry on after the elections take place," Morrell said, adding that the US hoped a new government "can quickly and peacefully be formed because any delay creates a potential for instability."

Jacoby, though, warned that the elections would be "a decisive point in Iraqi history" and cautioned that Al-Qaeda and insurgent groups would look to carry out more attacks in the run-up to the polls.

"It's all about the elections right now," he said.

"The enemies of a democratic Iraq have everything to lose by a successful election. ... They'll try to have another attack."

Earlier, Morrell said Gates would also do his part, in line with continuing government efforts, to "try to help the Arabs and the Kurds in Iraq settle their outstanding political differences."

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