Bush says US troops in Iraq will be reduced
Iraq-USA, Politics, 1/5/2006

The United States will withdraw some combat forces from Iraq in 2006 because security is improving and other forces will take over some of those duties, President George W. Bush said yesterday at the Pentagon.

Bush said the United States is cutting the number of its combat brigades in Iraq from 17 to 15. Bush met with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Marine General Peter Pace, who is chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and three generals directly involved with continuing operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The US said the briefing is part of routine, periodic meetings the president has with Pentagon officials, and is part of the president's overarching strategy in the ongoing war on terrorism and with specific operations in what he has described as the two key fronts in the war.

Bush said, US commanders have recommended the troop reductions because of the improving security situation. The Bush administration has said from the outset that the United States would bring its forces home as quickly as possible when the security situation improves. Bush also has said he would rely on the opinions of US military commanders in Iraq for determining how soon troops would be withdrawn.

"As we see more of these Iraqi forces in the lead, we'll be able to continue with our desire, our stated strategy that says as Iraqis stand up, we'll stand down," the president said. "In 2006, we expect Iraqis will take more and more control of the battle space, and as they do so, we will need fewer US troops to conduct combat operations around that country."

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