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20,000 US troops may leave Iraq in March
The New Nation ^ | 22 June 2005 | The New Nation

Posted on 06/22/2005 6:36:37 PM PDT by macsmind76

S troops may start withdrawing from Iraq in March, a US general said, as the new US ambassador to the war-torn country pledged to help Iraqis crush a ruthless insurgency.

As many as four or five brigades (up to 20,000 people) could leave if the country's ethnic groups agree on a constitution and elect a government that has broad support, Lieutenant General John Vines said in Washington via video link from Iraq.

"I suspect we will probably draw down capability after the election, because Iraqi security forces are more capable," Vines said. He referred to planned elections at the end of this year that would follow hoped-for approval of a new constitution in October.

The number-two US commander in Iraq forecast that the insurgency would dwindle rapidly if the political process succeeded, but said any drawdown would depend on conditions on the ground.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: exitstrategy; iraq; iraqwar; oif; timetable; troopreduction; waronterror
This might be hitting US wires soon - all over foreign wires. Interesting if true and will begin to silence some of the critics (but not all....:)
1 posted on 06/22/2005 6:36:38 PM PDT by macsmind76
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To: macsmind76

Moderator - Please fix the headline (old guy with bad eyes) - 20,000 US troops may leave Iraq in March


Sorry....won't happen again!


2 posted on 06/22/2005 6:37:55 PM PDT by macsmind76 (Macsmind.blogspot.com - Thou Shalt Not Get Away with It!)
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To: macsmind76

This doesn't surprise me. I think Iraq knows there is coming a time when they will simply have to decide he they want freedom (even their definition of it) or not. If they want it they will have to step up. Our people are not going to stay over there at the same level we're at now forever.


3 posted on 06/22/2005 6:52:13 PM PDT by buckeyesrule (God bless Condi Rice!)
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To: buckeyesrule

Dang!! What will the liberals b!tch about then? Oh yea,

Pulling them out?? "NO--send more troops!"

Sending more troops?? "NO--bring them home!"

The party of NO.

I hate liberals.


4 posted on 06/22/2005 6:57:48 PM PDT by jackv
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To: macsmind76

Thanks for post.
May I echo the words of the President of the United States of America. We will leave when the job is done. I believe someone asked the good general to make this statement for public consumption. Do notice the numbers given. 20,000 next March. Sounds about right. Based on estimates that have been handed down for over a year. Nothing has deviated in the over all plan. Really. All along this same theme has been projected. Once the Iraqi security forces of all flavors are given the sign off they are capable then our forces start to withdraw in certain areas of Iraq. We must remember that the constitution was planned to be written up and ratified in the summer of 2005. It is on schedule to be done. The final full Iraqi government voted in by the people of Iraq has been all along scheduled for late 2005 or early 2006. Once the constitutioni is drawn up and ratified, which of course shall contain new words as how a government is to be elected etc., all parties do their thing, hopefully better then we do here in recent years, and move toward their final destiny. Free democratic elections perhaps first quarter next year. Meanwhile our dear Army, Airforce, Navy, and Marines continue training to units of Iraqi Forces, integrate the current ones that really are starting to do a great job in some units, and equally important integrate these Iraqi forces into our current military ops to continue to give their new officer corps, ncos and enlisted ranks experience, and for them and us to kill local and foreign terrorist and insurgents.
So naturally it is safe we can downsize by 20,000 early next year. Many are schedule to rotate out anyway this fall through the end of the year. So I see this as a sort of no brainer. The statement was schedule to be announce a long time ago in essence. It fits the plan, as has been followed.
Put another way, it is a safe statement to make. But should not surprise anyone.


5 posted on 06/22/2005 7:08:50 PM PDT by Marine_Uncle (Honor must be earned)
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To: macsmind76

I saw the press conference on C-SPan. It was all clearly speculation, based on a whole boat load of qualifiers. This was clearly not a plan.


6 posted on 06/22/2005 7:15:48 PM PDT by No Longer Free State (As the Arabic saying has it: The caravan will continue its journey even if the wolves howl along the)
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To: macsmind76

I hope so. We don't need all these troops to wup these punks with RPGs. We have got more places to go ... Syria for one, Iran for another.

Hopefully we will use the more Air Power next time.


7 posted on 06/22/2005 7:34:37 PM PDT by TomasUSMC (FIGHT LIKE WW2, FINISH LIKE WW2. FIGHT LIKE NAM, FINISH LIKE NAM.)
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