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Iraq | |
Five Brigades Should Be Home by July, Gates Says | |
2008-01-18 | |
WASHINGTON - Five brigade combat teams, equal to 2007's troop surge, should be home by July, Defense secretary Robert M. Gates said today. "All the evidence available to me now suggests that we will be able to complete the drawdown of the five brigade combat teams ... by the end of July," the secretary said at a briefing with the Pentagon press corps.
Gates said that Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of forces in Iraq, will submit his recommendations based on conditions and needs in theater. Simultaneously, U.S. Central Command officials and the Joint Chiefs of Staff also will submit independent recommendations based on their respective responsibilities, taking into account stress on the force and regional and global requirements. The president will hear all three proposals. This is the same process that happened in September, when Petraeus first recommended the five brigades begin leaving Iraq, Gates said. "As it happened last September, each of them came at the problem with a different perspective and a little different emphasis," Gates said. "I want to make sure that the president has the opportunity to hear from these different perspectives and to ensure that his senior military advisors and commanders have the opportunity to present their views directly and unvarnished to the president." Gates said the departure of the first brigade already has signaled the transition of the mission in Iraq to that of a "strategic overwatch." Ultimately, Iraqi troops will be operationally in the lead, with U.S. soldiers providing only support such as training and equipping. Right now it is a mix across Iraq, with some provinces under Iraqi control and others still heavily reliant on coalition forces. "This is a dynamic process that, if you're doing a graphic, Iraq is not going to change from one color to another all at once. It's going to change a province at a time, a local area at a time, and I think that's what we're seeing," Gates said. | |
Posted by:Steve White |
#2 Who will be taking credit for the drawdown: the world listens to her. |
Posted by: KBK 2008-01-18 10:05 |
#1 It's about time you listened to us, Mr. President. Now we can end this foolish, unjust, and unpopular war before we have to blame Hillary. |
Posted by: Narry and Nancy 2008-01-18 06:14 |