AP: Bush’s withdrawal plans may not reduce troops to pre-‘surge’ levels

[liberal N proud]

Gates hopes to cut Iraq troop levels to 100,000
Bush’s withdrawal plans may not reduce troops to pre-‘surge’ levels

Planned cuts misleading?
Bush approved the redeployment of five Army combat brigades and three Marine contingents between now and July 2008, but that does not account for thousands of support forces — including military police and an Army combat aviation brigade — that were sent as "enablers" and that apparently will stay longer.

For example, the headquarters staff of the 3rd Infantry Division, commanded by Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch, was sent in April to establish a new operational command area south and southeast of Baghdad. They were not counted among the original "surge" forces, and it's not clear how long they will remain.

There currently are about 169,000 U.S. troops in Iraq — the highest total of the war. When Bush announced a buildup in January as the centerpiece of a new war strategy, there were 130,000 to 135,000 in Iraq.

Number withdrawn less than 30,000
In an Associated Press interview Thursday, Petraeus suggested the number would be less than 30,000 but he would not provide a specific figure. He said his staff was working out redeployment details.

It appears the reduction will be closer to 25,000, possibly less. Forecasts of future troop levels in Iraq are hazardous, as history has shown, because of the unpredictable nature of the conflict. Large reductions were planned for the latter half of 2006, but a flareup in violence killed that proposal.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20773566/site/newsweek/

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1. Call Me Shocked! Shocked I Tell You! jeeeeeezuz