BAGHDAD - U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has arrived in Iraq to begin the second leg of his tour of two major war zones.
Gates visit to Iraq comes during a week in which coordinated Baghdad bombings have killed 127 people and wounded more than 500. Al Qaeda's umbrella group in Iraq claimed responsibility Thursday for the bombings and warned of more strikes to come against the Iraqi government.
The U.S. military has warned that insurgents would probably continue high-profile attacks in an attempt to destabilize the Iraqi government in advance of March 7 parliamentary elections.
Gates flew to Iraq from Kabul after wrapping up a two-day visit in Afghanistan, where he met with U.S. troops and Afghan leaders, including President Hamid Karzai.
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