Pentagon leaders are considering reducing the U.S. force in Iraq by a few thousand troops in the coming months, defense officials said Thursday, as the Senate rejected setting a timetable for withdrawal.
Army Gen. George Casey, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, was in Washington this week for meetings with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld about future force levels and other issues.
Defense officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the U.S. force in Iraq, currently numbering around 127,000, could be cut by a few thousand troops in the coming months. However, one official cautioned not to expect massive cuts.
Polls show a narrow majority of Americans would like to see the Bush administration set a timetable for troops to withdraw from Iraq. The issue may loom large in November’s midterm congressional elections.
The Republican-led Senate Thursday rejected Democratic proposals to start a withdrawal and branded Democrats as divided and weak on the issue.
The Pentagon has announced a series of units scheduled to deploy into Iraq as part of the ongoing rotation of American troops in and out of the country more than three years into the war. One official said perhaps two of these brigades — each numbering 3,500 — might be held back.
Cuts depend on situation in Iraq
Casey’s recommendations to Rumsfeld on future U.S. troop levels have been long anticipated. Defense officials previously said the Pentagon had considered dropping to about 100,000 this year but any cuts depended on circumstances in Iraq.
One brigade — the 2nd Brigade of the Army’s 1st Infantry Division, based in Schweinfurt, Germany — that was due to have deployed to Iraq this month already has been put on hold by the Pentagon. One official said it was possible that brigade could be sent into Iraq in the fall for a slightly shorter stay than the usual yearlong deployment that Army units serve.
Casey last year forecast a “fairly substantial” reduction in U.S. troops this spring and summer if Iraq’s political process goes well and progress is made in developing Iraqi government security forces. Now it appears any such reduction may be postponed until autumn.
Rumsfeld and Casey are due to hold a news conference at the Pentagon later Thursday.
