White House to propose gradual troop cuts in Iraq

FE Team | Published: August 19, 2007 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

WASHINGTON, Aug 18 (AFP): US President George W. Bush will announce plans for gradual troop reductions from Iraq, but at levels far short of those sought by his critics in Congress, The New York Times reported today.
The goal of the announcement, which is planned for next month, was to counter public pressure for a more rapid reduction, said the paper, citing unnamed administration and military officials.
An official told the newspaper that by announcing a scaledown from early next year, they were hoping to win support for a plan that could keep US involvement in Iraq on "a sustainable footing" through the Bush presidency.
The White House would portray its approach as a new strategy for Iraq, a message aimed primarily at the growing numbers of congressional Republicans who have criticized President Bush's handling of the war, officials told the Times.
Many Republicans have urged Bush to unveil a new strategy, and even to propose a gradual reduction of American troops to the levels before this year's troop increase of about 130,000.
Some want even greater troop cuts to head off Democratic-led efforts to force the withdrawal of all combat forces by early next year, the paper said.
The White House would argue that this year's troop increase had succeeded on several levels in providing more security, with fewer sectarian killings and suicide attacks, The Times said.
It cited as its sources administration officials involved in drafting the new strategy.
At the same time, the administration will argue that vital US interests in Iraq and across the Middle East require a sustained commitment of US forces, according the newspaper reported.
It remains unclear how deeply the Bush administration would be willing to reduce troop levels beyond the current level in Iraq, The Times said.
Officials said Bush would not decide until the US commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus, presented a range of options on the size of the force and the risks associated with lower levels, the report pointed out.
Petraeus and US Ambassador Ryan Crocker are scheduled to report to Congress by mid-September on whether efforts to halt sectarian violence and return Iraq to viable self-governance are bearing fruit.