World Tribune.com

U.S. troop levels in Iraq
steadily decreasing

SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Friday, June 23, 2006

WASHINGTON — The United States continues to reduce its military presence in Iraq.

Officials said 127,000 U.S. soldiers were serving in Iraq in mid-June. They said this marked a decrease of 5,000 troops over the past month.

If current trends continue, by December 2006, the Pentagon would maintain 113,000 soldiers in Iraq, above the planned level of 100,000 envisioned by the Bush administration. Over the last year, the U.S. military presence in Iraq has averaged 138,000 troops, Middle East Newsline reported.

"Force levels in Iraq continue to be conditions-based and will be determined in consultation with the Iraqi government," the Defense Department said on June 20. "Changes may be made that could affect units now being identified and advised to prepare to deploy."

Over the next two days, Gen. George Casey, the commander of the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq, was expected to meet Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to discuss troop levels through 2006. So far, the military, amid accelerated efforts to train Iraqi security forces, has not recommended a sharp decrease in troop deployment in Iraq.

At this point, officials said, the Pentagon appears ready to reduce the U.S. military presence by between 14,000 and 20,000 by December 2006. The Pentagon has notified about 21,000 U.S. Army soldiers and Marines -- or four combat brigades -- that they would be sent to Iraq as part of the latest rotation.

Officials said the assignment of the brigades from Alaska, Colorado and Texas could change depending on security conditions in Iraq. So far, they said, two brigades -- or 6,500 troops -- assigned to report to Iraq would remain in the United States.

"You want to notify units as early as you can, but you want to do it within the framework that you also maintain the maximum amount of flexibility given that you have changing and evolving situations in Iraq," Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman told a briefing on Wednesday.

Whitman said the number of troops alerted for service in Iraq could change significantly depending on the military's assessment of security in Iraq. The spokesman said Casey was expected to soon relay his recommendation on troop levels to President George Bush.

Officials said the Pentagon has changed the method of troop rotation in Iraq. Instead of major rotations, they said, commanders maintain several combat units on alert to either replace or augment U.S. troops in Iraq. They said often decisions on actual deployment are made at the last minute.

"This construct allows us to ready forces, to have them prepared, but yet to be flexible and adaptable to a dynamic situation that exists," Whitman said.

In November 2005, the Pentagon said 92,000 soldiers would be sent to Iraq in the 2006-2008 rotation. The last of these soldiers were expected to arrive in Iraq by August.

At the same time, the U.S. military, in what could indicate a significant troop drawdown, has been removing equipment from Iraq. Since February 2006, the U.S. Army has identified 7,000 Humvees and 17,000 other pieces of equipment for shipment out of Iraq to bases in Europe and the United States.

"The U.S. force rotations may be tailored based upon changes in the security situation," the Pentagon said. "Iraqi security forces continue to develop capability and assume responsibility for security in Iraq."


Copyright © 2006 East West Services, Inc.

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