CAMP H.M. SMITH — U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said he envisions some level of American troops in Iraq for a "protracted period of time," possibly under a South Korea-like security arrangement and with the agreement of the Iraqi government.

"I think that the reason Korea has been mentioned is — and it's been mentioned in contrast to Vietnam, where we just left lock, stock and barrel — the idea is more a model of a mutually agreed arrangement whereby we have an enduring presence, but one that is by consent of both parties, and under certain conditions," Gates said yesterday.

Gates and Adm. Timothy J. Keating, commander of U.S. Pacific Command, spoke to reporters at Camp Smith ahead of a trip to Singapore for the Shangri-La Dialogue, a three-day regional security conference.

Gates was asked whether the Army expects to choose another location for Hawai'i's Stryker brigade when it gets back from Iraq due to environmental challenges. The unit, which is still in Hawai'i, is set to deploy to the Middle East in December on a 15-month tour.

A lawsuit was filed and a federal appeals court ordered the Army to examine the merits of basing the 328-vehicle unit outside Hawai'i.

Gates admitted he was not familiar with the Hawai'i basing issue, but Keating emphatically stated, "Can I recommend an answer? No, no, they (the Stryker brigade) will come back here."

On the issue of U.S. forces in Iraq, President Bush has cited the South Korea security arrangement — a more than 50-year U.S. presence — in looking to the future role of the U.S. in Iraq.

"I think the point (the president) is trying to make is that the situation in Iraq, and indeed, the larger war on terror, are things that are going to take a long time," White House spokesman Tony Snow said on Wednesday. "But it is not always going to require an up-front combat presence."

Gates became secretary of defense in December. His visit to U.S. Pacific Command was his second since taking office, but it will be his first Asia trip.

Gates also responded to statements by Lt. Gen. Raymond Odierno, the No. 2 American commander in Iraq, that he may not be able to make a complete assessment of the troop surge by a September deadline and report to Congress.

An additional 30,000 U.S. troops were sent to Iraq in recent months largely to quell violence in Baghdad. Odierno told reporters via video conference from Baghdad that a full assessment of the troop buildup can't be made until August with the last of the forces still being rotated into their new roles.

"So that'll be the first time I'll be able to make a real initial assessment of the true affect of the surge," Odierno said. "The assessment might be 'I need a little more time.' The assessment might be, 'I've seen enough, and it's effective or I've seen enough, and it's not going to be effec-tive.' "

Odierno said, though, he'd probably need more time beyond September to do a "true assessment."

Gates said the "goalpost" hasn't changed for results. "I think what I said was that we ought to be in a position to begin evaluating by the end of the summer whether or not the surge was working, so I think that late August, early September — I think it's all still in the same ballpark."

Gates said one of the central messages for the upcoming Shangri-La Dialogue is that "while we are fighting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and a global war on terror, we have no intention of neglecting Asia."

Keating noted that the amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu is in Pearl Harbor preparing for a four- to five-month humanitarian mission to Southeast Asia and Oceania.

"She is not bristling with her Marine amphibious readiness group," Keating said. "She is bristling with doctors and nurses and dentists and veterinarians."

China will be among the delegations represented at the security conference in Singapore, and Gates and Keating will use the trip as part of continuing efforts to better gauge a Chinese military buildup.

Gates said "there's no question" that the Chinese are building significant military capability. "Our concern is over their intent," he said.

Gates described that intent as "opaque."

"One of the central themes of everyone who's talking with the Chinese is more transparency," Gates said. "Tell us more about where you are headed. What are your intentions? That's the real issue. The fact that they are building (military) capacity is just a fact."

Reach William Cole at wcole@honoluluadvertiser.com.