ID :
12430
Mon, 07/14/2008 - 11:30
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/12430
The shortlink copeid
U.S. considering withdrawal of troops from Iraq: report
New York, Jul 14 (PTI) The Bush administration is considering withdrawal of additional combat forces from Iraq beginning in September, with pressing need for more troops in Afghanistan one of the main factors guiding the potentialdecision, a media report said Sunday.
By the time Bush leaves office on Jan 20 next year, at least one or as many 3 to 15 combat brigades could be called back or be scheduled for withdrawal, the New York Times saidciting American administration and military officials.
A factor behind the consideration, it said, is need for additional troops in Afghanistan, where the Taliban and other fighters have intensified insurgency, inflicting an increasingnumber of casualties on Afghan and American-led forces.
More American and allied troops died in Afghanistan than in Iraq in May and June, a trend that has continued thismonth, the paper noted.
Though no decision has yet been taken, the desire to move quickly on this front reflects the growing view in Pentagon, which besides easing the strain on military also wants to release more troops for Afghanistan and other potentialmissions, it said.
The most optimistic course of events would still leave 120,000 to 130,000 American troops in Iraq, down from the peak of 170,000 reached late last year after Bush ordered what cameto be known as "surge" of additional forces, the Times said.
Any troop reduction announced in the heat of the presidential election could blur the sharp differences between the likely candidates -- Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama -- with political benefit of the move estimated to go more in favour of the former, who is an avid supporterof the current strategy in Iraq.
Reduction would indicate that strategy has worked andcould defuse anti-war sentiment among voters.
Gen David H. Petraeus, the American commander in Iraq, has already begun the review of security and troop levels and officials told the paper that he was more likely to recommenda smaller reduction, but still a withdrawal.
A senior administration official also cautioned that the president, who will have the final say, would be reluctant to endorse deep or rapid reductions if they jeopardised his goalof establishing a stable and democratic government in Baghdad.
Still, according to the Times, there is broad consensus in Washington and Baghdad that more American forces can nowleave the country, while more are needed in Afghanistan.
"There hasn't really been any discussion of numbers, and it's definitely based on conditions on ground," a military officer in Baghdad said, adding conditions "are a lot more favourable than in December or April or even two months ago." General Petraeus, who will step down as commander in Iraq in September, will then take over as the commander of UnitedStates Central Command, in which position he will oversee U.S.
forces and operations throughout the Middle East and Centraland South Asia, including Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Pentagon, the report said, has previously signaled that commanders wanted additional troops in Afghanistan — as many as 10,000 more than the roughly 32,000 there now — but with two wars seriously straining the Army and Marines,officials have struggled to release the extra forces.
Last year, Bush accepted Petraeus's recommendation to gradually call back the five extra combat brigades that he ordered to Iraq. The last of those is completing its withdrawal this month, bringing the number of combat brigadesto 15 and the overall troop levels to about 140,000.
If the withdrawals continued at the same pace, roughly one every 45 days, three more brigades could leave Iraq by the end of Bush's presidency, the paper said. PTI
By the time Bush leaves office on Jan 20 next year, at least one or as many 3 to 15 combat brigades could be called back or be scheduled for withdrawal, the New York Times saidciting American administration and military officials.
A factor behind the consideration, it said, is need for additional troops in Afghanistan, where the Taliban and other fighters have intensified insurgency, inflicting an increasingnumber of casualties on Afghan and American-led forces.
More American and allied troops died in Afghanistan than in Iraq in May and June, a trend that has continued thismonth, the paper noted.
Though no decision has yet been taken, the desire to move quickly on this front reflects the growing view in Pentagon, which besides easing the strain on military also wants to release more troops for Afghanistan and other potentialmissions, it said.
The most optimistic course of events would still leave 120,000 to 130,000 American troops in Iraq, down from the peak of 170,000 reached late last year after Bush ordered what cameto be known as "surge" of additional forces, the Times said.
Any troop reduction announced in the heat of the presidential election could blur the sharp differences between the likely candidates -- Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama -- with political benefit of the move estimated to go more in favour of the former, who is an avid supporterof the current strategy in Iraq.
Reduction would indicate that strategy has worked andcould defuse anti-war sentiment among voters.
Gen David H. Petraeus, the American commander in Iraq, has already begun the review of security and troop levels and officials told the paper that he was more likely to recommenda smaller reduction, but still a withdrawal.
A senior administration official also cautioned that the president, who will have the final say, would be reluctant to endorse deep or rapid reductions if they jeopardised his goalof establishing a stable and democratic government in Baghdad.
Still, according to the Times, there is broad consensus in Washington and Baghdad that more American forces can nowleave the country, while more are needed in Afghanistan.
"There hasn't really been any discussion of numbers, and it's definitely based on conditions on ground," a military officer in Baghdad said, adding conditions "are a lot more favourable than in December or April or even two months ago." General Petraeus, who will step down as commander in Iraq in September, will then take over as the commander of UnitedStates Central Command, in which position he will oversee U.S.
forces and operations throughout the Middle East and Centraland South Asia, including Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Pentagon, the report said, has previously signaled that commanders wanted additional troops in Afghanistan — as many as 10,000 more than the roughly 32,000 there now — but with two wars seriously straining the Army and Marines,officials have struggled to release the extra forces.
Last year, Bush accepted Petraeus's recommendation to gradually call back the five extra combat brigades that he ordered to Iraq. The last of those is completing its withdrawal this month, bringing the number of combat brigadesto 15 and the overall troop levels to about 140,000.
If the withdrawals continued at the same pace, roughly one every 45 days, three more brigades could leave Iraq by the end of Bush's presidency, the paper said. PTI
