Petraeus: 'Remote' chance of second surge

WASHINGTON, April 9 (UPI) -- The possibility of another buildup of U.S. troops in Iraq, should conditions deteriorate, would be "remote," Army Gen. David H. Petraeus testified Wednesday.

Petraeus, testifying before the House Armed Services Committee, was asked by Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas., about contingency plans if the situation in Iraq worsens and whether he would "reinstate the surge."

"(That) would be a pretty remote thought in my mind, for a variety of different reasons," Petraeus said, explaining he would take into account a number of factors.

He said "we do have an ability to move some forces around, obviously, and we would certainly want to do that -- both Iraqi forces as well as our forces."

Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker presented their assessments of the military, political, diplomatic and economic efforts in Iraq before House committees Wednesday, their second day on the Hill. The two testified Tuesday before Senate committees.