American forces to reduce two contingents in Iraq

The US defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld announced that his country decided to reduce the number of its forces in Iraq by two contingents, at a time when it will reinforce the number of forces training the Iraqi army.

Rumsfeld said during his visit to Falluja city today morning that President George W Bush agreed to change the number of fighting contingents from 17 to 15 contingents.

Rumsfeld added that the Iraqi and American governments will continue the evaluation of the situation of the forces during the coming months, noting that this reduction will be determined by the fall of the spring of 1006, so as number of the troops to be less than 138,000 soldiers.

The American official who visits Iraq, in a second visit by a high level official within one week, explained that the "USA did not come to Iraq for oil nor for occupying Iraq, rather for giving the help," denying his country to have any plans to establish permanent base in Iraq.