US President George Bush may reduce amount of troops in Iraq

September 12, 2007

According to United States officials at the White House, President George W. Bush will be cutting the amount of U.S. troops in Iraq by as much of 30,000, to "pre-surge" force levels, and the withdraw could take place as early as next Summer, but with certain "conditions" applying.

The plans are expected to be formally announced in a speech Bush is expected to make on Thursday at 9:00 p.m. (eastern time).

Officials say that the President will endorse the reduction of troops recommended by General David Petraeus.

"I believe that we will be able to reduce our forces to the pre-surge level ... by next summer without jeopardizing the security gains we have fought so hard to achieve. The level of security incidents has declined in eight of the past 12 weeks, with the level of incidents in the past two weeks the lowest since June of 2006," said Petraeus while testifying in front of the U.S. Congress on Monday.

According to officials, the conditions on the reduction of troops depends on whether or not violence in Iraq continues to decline, and how much political stability and security progresses.

Currently, there are 168,000 U.S. troops serving in Iraq, the most that have ever been in the country.