Lieutenant-General Raymond Odierno said that about 80 per cent of those fighting US forces were thought to be ready to join Iraq's political process.
He said: "We're talking about ceasefires and maybe signing some things that say they won't conduct operations against the government of Iraq or against coalition forces."
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"Let the people of Iraq vote if they want the US to stay or leave"
Bob Kaye, Bohemia, US
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US commanders hope to convince local Iraqi resistance groups to split from groups such as al-Qaeda in Iraq.
"We have organised ourselves to be more aggressive in this area," Odierno said.
"We believe a large majority of groups within Iraq are reconcilable, and are now interested in engaging with us."
In the western province of Anbar, tribal leaders have turned on al-Qaeda in Iraq.
And on Thursday, residents of west Baghdad reported that members of the 1920 Brigades group were fighting their former al-Qaeda allies. Al Jazeera said quoting Iraqi police sources that up to 12 armed men were killed in clashes between fighters from al-Qaeda in Iraq and Sunni fighters in Amiriya district.
The clashes caused damage to residential areas and forced many families to flee the neighbourhood.
'Tough month'
Brigadier-General Perry Wiggins, deputy director of regional operations with the US joint chiefs of staff, admitted on Wednesday that May had been "a tough month".
He said: "We're moving into places where we haven't been, not necessarily before."