Petraeus Eyes Sept. Troop Cuts Decision

Four-Star General Says He's Likely To Recommend Troop Reductions; News Would Come At Critical Time For U.S., Iraqi Elections

(CBS/AP)  Gen. David Petraeus said Thursday he is likely to recommend further U.S. troop reductions in Iraq but will not promise more details until September - timing that plunges the four-star Army general into the heart of this year's presidential elections.

The assessment would come at a critical time in both American and Iraqi politics. U.S. voters will be deciding between a Republican candidate committed to keeping troops in Iraq as long as Petraeus and other ground commanders say is necessary, and a Democratic challenger who supports the immediate withdrawal of forces.

At the same time, Iraq will be headed into its much-anticipated provincial elections, which U.S. officials have described as a crucial step in building national reconciliation by increasing participation by the Sunni minority.

Petraeus said conditions on the ground will still dictate his decision. But by September, when he is slated to assume control of U.S. Central Command, "my sense is that I will be able to make a recommendation at that time for some further reductions," he said.

Petraeus cautioned that he was not implying that that means a particular brigade or major combat formation. "But I do believe there will be certain assets that, as we are already looking at the picture right now, we'll be able to recommend can be either redeployed or not deployed to the theater in the fall," he said.

President George W. Bush said he looked forward to hearing what his generals would recommend, and he did not tip his hand as to what he wants to hear.

"My message to our commanders is you will have all the troops, you will have all the resources you need to win in Iraq," Bush said from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where he was speaking to 17,000 paratroopers from the Army's 82nd Airborne Division.

Also on Thursday, the Senate voted 70-26 to approve $165 billion to pay for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan into next spring, when Bush's successor will set war policy. All told, the measure contains $212 billion over the coming two years, plus about $50 billion more through 2017 for veterans education benefits.

In recent months, Petraeus has helped to tame growing opposition to the war in Congress by providing measured assessments of progress and warning that an exodus of U.S. troops would result in chaos.

His unflappable style was on display again Thursday in a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing to confirm him for the Central Command post. Its area of responsibility includes Iraq, Iran, Lebanon Pakistan, parts of Africa and Afghanistan. The hearing was considerably less contentious than his past congressional appearances and even came with an endorsement by the panel's chairman, Sen. Carl Levin, and Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Also receiving a warm reception was Lt. Gen. Raymond Odierno, expected to replace Petraeus as the top commander in Iraq. Odierno previously served 15 months in Iraq as Petraeus' deputy.

"Regardless how long the administration may choose to remain engaged in the strife in that country, our troops are better off with the leadership these two distinguished soldiers provide," said Levin, a Democrat.

Petraeus has previously been reluctant to say when his next assessment of troop levels might be. Earlier this year he recommended - and Bush agreed - to withdraw by July the 30,000 extra troops sent to Iraq last year as part of a major security push to blunt increasing sectarian violence.

In testimony last month, Petraeus said he needed a 45-day period of evaluation and then an indefinite period of assessment before he would recommend any further pullouts, holding his ground against Democrats demanding to know whether more withdrawals were possible before Bush leaves office in January.

Levin said Petraeus' pledge to review troop levels by September was "good news to most of us."

On a less-optimistic note, Petraeus said it is unlikely that Iraqi security forces will take the lead in all provinces this year, as was recently predicted by the Defense Department. Petraeus said events in the past month and a half - an allusion to the spike in violence in Basra - have pushed that goal to 2009.

[randynason]

How many times have we heard this "wait and see" b.s.? Hey, how''s that embassy coming along, anyway? Pretty snazzy, huh?!!

[scottyusa]

Why are we broadcasting this kind of information to the enemy? Remember that these people are very patient. This kind of information allows them to lay back and plan their next moves when we get the army down to a size they think they can manage. Most of this reporting all our plans and moves during this war is to placate the anti war left wingnuts. We would be out of there much quicker if our enemy did not know our every move ahead of time. DUH

[one-american]

"How many times have we heard this "wait and see" b.s.?"

Posted by RandyNason at 05:52 PM : May 22, 2008


How many times does it take for you to get it through your thick head?

Some people are just slow learners...

[sgtrds-e4]

He has a choice, suggest increasing the troop levels and make Bush happy or suggest cutting them and then "retiring".

[bluestardad]

ANOTHER BUSH BOBBLE HEAD GENERAL!

START IRAQ WAR CRIMES TRIALS NOW!

AMERICA STAND UP OR SHUT UP!

[tracymoorgan]

Troop casualties Iraq: 4000
Troop casualites Afghanistan: 500
Troop casualties total: 4500

Divide 4500 by 7.5 years of Bush adminstration = approx. 600 troop casualties per year.

That is similar number of troop casualties during the Clinton years.

[tracymoorgan]

Check out this link. American military deaths near 26 year average.



http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=62294

[stevex47]

The Generals idea to pull troops right before the election isn''t politically motivated is it?

[cattlekate]

Wow. Another Freidman Unit (FU).

[cdfoxtrot]

So.... General Betray Us is going to help his Republican pals by yanking a few troops just before the election? That''ll quell the desire of those who want out of "Eye-Rack" (for the benefit of Bush supporters and other mentally challenged people that''s a deliberate mis-spelling). It will also give McOldGuy an ability to claim progress and an end in sight, if only we can "stay the course".

[cdfoxtrot]

Hey, tracymoorgan, have you been reading "1984" by any chance?

[samrensho]

He does whatever Shooter tells him to do. The election is coming up so you can expect troop cuts and releasing oil reserves to cut gas prices. Politics as usual.

[marcosis78]

Bush is such a sell out that its insane. I still cant believe anyone has said hes doing a good job. I hope that whomever the next president (probably a democrat) will release some sort of information about Bush and his treason deals to the Saudis. On how much the Saudis are worth now, I fear that they now run the world and they will do anything they want because America is too dumb to make alternatives for cars and such.

[ioweign]

1980 .......... 2,392 (Carter Year)
1981 .......... 2,380 (Reagan Year)
1984 .......... 1,999 (Reagan Year)
1988 .......... 1,819 (Reagan Year)
1989 .......... 1,636 (George H W Year)
1990 .......... 1,508 (George H W Year)
1991 .......... 1,787 (George H W Year)
1992 ......... 1,293 (George H W Year)
1993 .......... 1,213 ( Clinton Year)
1994 .......... 1,075 ( Clinton Year)
1995 .......... 1,040 ( Clinton Year)
1996 ......... . 974 ( Clinton Year)
1997 ............. 817 ( Clinton Year)
1998 .......... 827 ( Clinton Year)
1999 .......... 796 ( Clinton Year)
2000 ..........758 ( Clinton Year)
2001 ............. 890(George W Year)
2002 .......... 999 (George W Year)
2003 .......... 1,228 (George W Year)
2004 .......... 1,874 (George W Year)
2005 ............. 1,942 (George W Year)
2006.............. 1,858 (George W Year)

Clinton years (1993-2000): 7,500 deaths
George W years (2001-2006): 8,791 deaths

http://greentheo.scroggles.com/index.php/2008/03/27/military_deaths_1980_2008