WASHINGTON - The commander of US forces in Iraq on Tuesday predicted it would take "a couple of months" for leaders to form a post-election government but downplayed fears of instability.
General Ray Odierno told US public television it was too soon to give exact predictions on Iraq's transition as final results have yet to be announced from Sunday's election.
"If they are close it will probably take a little bit longer; if someone has a bigger lead, it might happen a little bit quicker. But I believe we're talking about a couple of months," Odierno told the "PBS Newshour."
Odierno said he had been in close touch with Iraqi authorities about ensuring security after the country's second election since the 2003 US-led invasion.
"Clearly we understand that this is a transition time and transitions are always a time of risk," he said.
"But we have worked very hard with the government of Iraq ... to try to ensure that security will remain," he said. "I believe we will be able to do that through this critical period."
President Barack Obama earlier paid tribute to the "courage and resilience" of Iraqi voters who posted a 62.4 percent turnout despite periodic violence.
Obama has promised to withdraw all American troops from Iraq by the end of next year.
Odierno on Tuesday praised Oscar-winning drama "The Hurt Locker," saying that unlike some media coverage it showed the complexities on the field.
General Ray Odierno said he watched "The Hurt Locker," a film about a US Army bomb disposal squad in Baghdad, after a copy was sent to him last year.
"What I like about it is it shows first the camaraderie that is required here -- the tension, the risk that's involved in some of the jobs that we do here," Odierno told the "PBS Newshour" on US public television.
"I'm sure many people would say it could be a bit more accurate in some areas, but I believe it's a good representation of the sacrifice, dedication that it takes here," he said from Baghdad.
But Odierno indicated that he was no easy movie critic, saying he was sometimes disappointed with films as well as media coverage of US operations in Iraq.
"I think people don't understand how complex the environment has been here over the last several years," Odierno said. "I don't think they understand what it takes for these young men and women to operate in this environment."
"They have done extremely well balancing non-violence and violence, having to be able to determine who's bad and who's good, who's trying to kill you, who's not," he said.
"The Hurt Locker" scooped six Academy Awards on Sunday including best picture and best director for Kathryn Bigelow, the first woman to win the honor.
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