WASHINGTON ( CNN ) -- Gen. Ray Odierno , the top U.S. military commander in Iraq , said Sunday he believes U.S. troops will be out of the country by the end of 2011 . Gen. Ray Odierno says the U.S. is working with Iraq to maintain security improvements as it looks to withdraw . On CNN 's `` State of the Union , '' chief national correspondent John King asked Odierno to rate his confidence , on a scale of 1 to 10 , that U.S. troops would be out by the end of the timeline agreed by the U.S. and Iraqi governments . `` As you ask me today , I believe it 's a 10 -- that we will be gone by 2011 , '' Odierno responded . One of the key architects of the troop `` surge '' strategy in Iraq , Odierno said conditions in the war-torn country have `` improved significantly '' in the past year or so . `` Obviously , we still have some very serious incidents ... but , again , it 's much safer , '' he said . Nine U.S. troops were killed in March , the lowest monthly toll since the beginning of the Iraq War in 2003 , he said . Watch Odierno share his assessment with CNN 's John King » . `` So , there 's been a clear improvement of security here , '' Odierno said . `` The issue is : Can we maintain that ? Can the Iraqis maintain it ? And that 's what we 're working through now . We want them to be able to maintain this stability as we pull out . '' But less than two weeks into April , the U.S. toll for the month is already at nine . Asked whether the attacks were a sign of increased coordinated violence , Odierno responded that `` there are some cells out there who are still capable of conducting suicide attacks , '' though he described the cells as `` very small . '' Watch as general discusses joining Facebook » . The U.S. military has made it more difficult for foreign fighters to get into Iraq through Syria , but there is still support for the Iraqi insurgency coming from Iran , he said . Mowaffak al-Rubaie , Iraqi national security adviser , said the Iraqi government is making improvements in handling its own security . `` We , the government of Iraq and the security forces in Iraq are much more suited now for this fight , '' al-Rubaie told `` State of the Union . '' `` And we believe that now we are leading and we are planning and carrying out most of the combat operations in the country , `` he said , `` and the United States forces are moving or transitioning to a more support role , more training , more providing more logistical support , rather than engaging in a huge military or kinetic combat operations . '' Al-Rubaie was mum when asked how President Obama has differed from former President George W. Bush . Watch al-Rubaie discuss Iraq 's future » . `` I do n't want to elaborate on differences , '' al-Rubaie said . `` But I believe that President Obama understands the situation in Iraq and I believe he wants to stick by ... the withdrawal agreement . '' Odierno described Obama as `` very attentive . '' `` He listens . He 's incredibly intelligent . He talks through the issues , '' Odierno said . `` He makes a decision and then we execute those decisions , and that 's all you can expect out of your commander-in-chief . And I 've been very pleased with the interaction that I 've been able to have with him . ''
On scale of 1 to 10 , ` ` I believe it 's a mistake , '' Gen. Ray ##burn said of timetable . U.S. , has announced that U.S. troops will be withdrawn from Iraq by end of 2011 . Conditions in Iraq have ` ` improved significantly '' in the past year , general says . Iraqi national security adviser : We 're getting better at handling own problems .