Pentagon May Advise Iraq Troop Reductions

Chairman Of Joint Chiefs Cites Better Than Expected Conditions On The Ground

(AP)  The Pentagon's top military officer said Wednesday that he is likely to recommend further troop reductions in Iraq this fall.

Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that on his recent trip to Iraq, he found conditions had improved more than he expected.

"I won't go so far as to say that progress in Iraq from a military perspective has reached a tipping point or is irreversible it has not, and it is not," Mullen told a Pentagon press conference.

"But security is unquestionably and remarkably better. Indeed, if these trends continue I expect to be able early this fall to recommend to the secretary and the president further troop reductions," he said.

His remarks came in the midst of an election year in which Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama, the Republican and Democratic presidential nominees-in-waiting, have disagreed over U.S. strategy in Iraq with the war now in its sixth year.

The issue of troop levels in Iraq also has been weighing heavily on plans for boosting troop levels in Afghanistan, where violence is on the rise.

The military buildup in Iraq that began more than 18 months ago has ended. In recent days, the 3rd Infantry Division's 2nd Brigade, the last of the five additional combat brigades sent in by President Bush last year, left the country.

Its departure marks the end of what the Pentagon calls the "surge." And it starts the 45-day evaluation period that Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, told Congress he would need to assess the security situation and determine how many more troops he could send home.

Commanders have talked carefully, but somewhat optimistically, about the prospects for cutting troop levels more later this fall.

In recent months, they have pointed to two significant improvements: Violence is down, and the Iraqi forces are rapidly growing in size and ability.

Officials have been hoping that if security continues to improve in Iraq, they may be able to send more units to Afghanistan, where they say violence is increasing because of the flow of militants from neighboring Pakistan.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Wednesday that officials are looking for ways to send additional U.S. troops to Afghanistan this year.

For his part, Petraeus remains mum. When questioned by lawmakers in May, he would say only that he is likely to recommend more troop cuts in the fall.

"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.

Though the troop buildup ordered last year has ended, there are still 150,000 in Iraq - as many as 15,000 more than before it began.

There now are technically 13 Army and two Marine combat brigades in Iraq - the same as before the buildup - but the force is as much as 10 percent larger than it was in January 2007.

Military officials contend comparisons are not valid because a chunk of the remaining troop bulge is due to units that are overlapping, as two brigades begin moving out of Iraq, while their two replacements move in. The overlap could add up to 6,000 soldiers.

Also, one of the units moving out, the 1st Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, is much smaller than the one taking its place - the 4th Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division.

So, the officials suggested, the military buildup may not really be over until the transitions are complete.

The key cause for the larger force is the change in mission in Iraq, as the U.S. military is using more trainers, security and support troops to back up the growing Iraqi force. Also, the U.S. units there now are bigger, and they are bolstered by more support forces.

When the military buildup began, there were between 132,000 and 135,000 troops in Iraq. Over time, however, the Pentagon poured troops into Baghdad and the belt of communities that surround it, including volatile Sadr City and Basra, the largest city in southern Iraq.

With more troops, the military needed more support, including military police to guard detainees and National Guard units to provide security for bases, convoys and other operations.

Earlier this year, military leaders acknowledged that the force in Iraq when the buildup ended would be larger than before it began. And they suggested that the post-buildup force would total about 142,000.

[bustamcnutty]

It''''s about time they started listening to Obama!!
............................................................................................................there is a big differance they want to reduce troop level''s by condition''s on the ground.obama wants to bail out and leave.

[samsel3]

The true intent for the Iraq invasion was to gain control of world oil markets for BIG OIL.

The Saudi''s, US oil interests and British petroleum were tired of Saddam flooding the market with cheaper priced oil and then charging US oil companies more for oil then Russia, France, Germany, China and Korea.

The administration is not interested in what you have to pay at the pump. The bottom line is profit for BIG OIL, which is the reason BIG OIL put up 150 million dollars for the election campaign of G.W. Bush.

[whiskyrocker]

Find the cost of freedom---buried in the ground.

[bustamcnutty]

The "surge" only escalated the violence. Without al Sadr''''s ceasefire, last year would have continually been well over 100 per month.
al sadr called the cease fire after his militia got hammered in the southern city of bashra.the iraqi government is finally getting serious about reighning in the ***** militia.which had been off limit''s to the coalition troops.the iraqi people will make the final dicision on what kind of country they have.we can only do so much,unless we killed them all. we have been putting our guy''s in greater danger just to try and keep collaterial damage down.so i dont see us changing now and just bombing the hell out of the place.

[hungry1968]

U.S. Eyes More Troops In Afghanistan | | 24
Pentagon May Advise Iraq Troop Reductions | | 24

Looks like a wash sale.

Posted by Nancy_Naive at 11:04 AM : Jul 17, 2008




It''s about time they started listening to Obama!!

[hungry1968]

The last three month have been the best 3 consecutive since 2003 and last year`s were the worst since 2003.

Posted by Nancy_Naive at 09:43 AM : Jul 17, 2008




Correct. The violence didn''t subside until al Sadr called his cease fire in August 2007.

The "surge" only escalated the violence. Without al Sadr''s ceasefire, last year would have continually been well over 100 per month.

[infe5]

I sincerely hope the current security and stabilization trends in Iraq continue! General Petraeus'' leadership and the Iraqi forces'' initiative and courage have made outstanding progress. If this continues and strengthens, Iraqis will finally have a democratic government through which they can guide the future of their country. Our military men and women will be able to come home with the satisfaction of success. We will be able to commit more forces to Afghanistan, which will hopefully lead to a similar, favorable, outcome in that country.

Regardless of the events that got us to this point, we are tilting towards success and victory on the fulcrum of conflict. A victorious outcome will be nothing but good for all countries involved. May our military and political leaders continue to do the right thing for the future security of this country and the peace and stability of the people of Iraq and Afghanistan.

[antoniof123]

Does anybody know what the casualty total is for the last 3 months?

Posted by jimmyc1955 at 09:36 AM : Jul 17, 2008

If it is more than zero (0) it is more than it should be.

[jimmyc1955]

Does anybody know what the casualty total is for the last 3 months?

[babooph]

Must be no more need-the future of the middle class paying for the idiocy is complete-death by a thousand cuts-they will now slowly rot away.

[docpeter-2009]

From the article, "Pentagon May Advise Iraq Troop Reductions."

WGT GWB, just in time for the 2008 McCain election.

I am not fooled.

Yep, and I hear today that McCain is trying to tell people that Obama is like Bush......
I think I''''m gonna start referring to him McBeffuddled..
-------------------------------
Posted by hadenough43

Barry Obama is just like GW Bush in the fact that he is inexperienced and shows poor judgement. But as far as your name calling - that is expected from an Obama Supporter who has no message points reference issues to discuss

[ajaxtheleast]

Even before knowing that a George Bush

and a David Patraeus would come along

how wise were the old ones to liken

military stuff to "theater".

Act 3 of The Iraqi Theater Of War-
Criminality And Subterfuge will have
you bear witness to David Coppertraeus
actually ''POOF''! disappear into thin air
leaving it to assistant war criminals to
bob and weave in a very, MUST SEE!, creative
attempt to thwart Obama The Terrible from
accurately assessing the current state
of their dubious deeds!

[stn_sage]

My comments are as follows:

1. The USA''s U.N. mandate to be in Iraq expires December 31, 2008. Then, a reauthorization to remain will have to be issued. Assuming we''re wanted, it''s likely to be routinely approved at the U.N..

2. Up until a week ago, they argued passionately that we were winning and could not go! Then, they argued that two brigades could go. As of yesterday, they say, even additional units may go! Why the big turnaround or ''flip-flop''!?

3. The GOP want the public to believe we''ve won in Iraq, and therefore give the public a reason to vote for them! They''ll shift withdrawn units to Afghanistan to fight the Taliban and al qaeda; which, they have neglected for five years now. This, they hope will "prove" they''re tougher than Dems on terrorism! And once again, maybe the public will vote for them!

4. While this cynical, partisan political maneuvering might not win them many elections, it will continue to endanger the lives'' of American military personnel!

5. This election is critical. It''s up to each of us to decide who we want to vote for or what we want to do!

[neoconrcrazy]

the iraqis want us out
the american people want us out
the boy scouts want us out

only bushit and McBushit jr want to stay

[pvperson]

Of course they''re going to reduce levels in Iraq, where else could troop increases for Afghanistan come from.

get the feeling that as soon as were gone the civl war wil resume.

Posted by IMNHO
--------------------------
So do I. It never gets reported, but this Persian/Arab thing has been going on for over 2000 years. These people are nothing if not patient and they have a VERY long timeline. The future to them ain''t anything less than a couple hundred years. IN Iranian schools, children are taught about the fall of Persopolis as if it only happened yesterday.

They remind me of the definition of an anal retentive personality - that is; someone who clings to sh**.

Hanging on to a grudge for 2500 or so years is DETERMINATION, it seems to me.

So what does the few years we''ve been there mean to them??

And that doesn''t even account for the grudge the Kurds have - we gonna hear from them in the future...

[imnho]

I get the feeling that as soon as were gone the civl war wil resume. Whats also a problem is that the troops in Iraq will be transfered to Afganastan, instead of getti a much needed rest.

[harpoot]

It''s an election year. If McSame gets the nod then he''ll send them back for his 100 year Reich in Iraq.

[edward1975-2009]

Reports said last week that Iraq''s fractured government wants us to give them deadlines as to when we can leave. How''s tomorrow sound. And I think the minute we are gone all heck is going to break loose.