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Bush sees possible troop level cuts in Iraq in 2006+(Japan Economic Newswire Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)WASHINGTON, Jan. 4_(Kyodo) _ U.S. President George W. Bush said Wednesday that troop levels in Iraq could be reduced in 2006, but reiterated that any decrease would be based on the recommendations of military commanders, not timetables set by politicians. "In 2006, the mission is to continue to hand over more and more territory and more and more responsibility to Iraqi forces," Bush said in remarks after meeting with military commanders at the Department of Defense. "Later this year, if Iraqis continue to make progress on the security and political sides that we expect, we can discuss further possible adjustments with the leaders of a new government in Iraq," he said. But he said any decision to reduce U.S. troop levels in Iraq would be based on conditions on the ground and the recommendations of military commanders, not "false political timetables in Washington," vowing to not let "politics get in the way of doing the right thing in Iraq." A reduction of U.S. combat forces, from 17 to 15 brigades, is currently under way in Iraq, Bush said. This decrease, first announced by Secretary of State Donald Rumsfeld during a December visit to Iraq, will bring U.S. troop numbers to a level below the 138,000 baseline that existed before the Dec. 15 elections in Iraq. Bush noted that this reduction of two combat brigades is in addition to a decrease of about 20,000 U.S. troops who had been in Iraq to assist with security during the December elections. Bush also said that U.S. troop levels would be cut in 2006 in Afghanistan, where, he said, security is increasingly being provided by NATO-led international forces and what he called a "capable Afghan army and police." The reduction will bring U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan from 19,000 to 16,500 personnel, he said. Last December, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization said it will send an additional 6,000 soldiers to southern Afghan provinces in 2006. NATO currently has 9,000 soldiers serving in Afghanistan. The Afghan National Army now has about 27,000 soldiers and about 55,000 police officers are deployed across the country. |