WASHINGTON — The U.S. ambassador to Haiti said today American officials are concerned about security in earthquake-stricken Haiti but consider the situation manageable.

"The security situation is obviously not perfect," Kenneth Merten said in a nationally broadcast interview, when asked about the potential violence among people desperate for food, water and shelter.

"The Haitian police, due to their own significant losses, are degraded," he said. "The U.N. has had losses." But Merten also said he believes "things are going reasonably well. This is not a perfect law and order situation here even in the best of times. We're concerned about it and we're monitoring it closely, but I don't think it's anything that's unmanageable."

Merten called the U.S. military presence in and around the island a backup option in the event of violence, saying first call would be the Haitian police force and the U.N. force in Haiti. He credited Brazilians in that force with making a strong contribution toward stability.

"Our troops are standing by in cases where neither the Haitian police nor the U.N. troops are providing security," Merten said on NBC's "Today" show. "In most cases, the Haitian police and the U.N. forces have been able to handle the situation."