Free Republic

WASHINGTON - President Bush will tell the nation this week he plans to reduce the American troop presence in Iraq by about 30,000 by next summer, but will condition those and further cuts on continued progress, The Associated Press has learned. In a prime-time television address, probably Thursday, Bush will endorse the recommendations of his top general and top diplomat in Iraq, following their appearance at two days of hearings in Congress, administration officials said. The White House plans to issue a written status report on the so-called "surge" on Friday, they said. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity...

Blow to US as S Korea makes Iraq troops cut By Anna Fifield and Caroline Daniel in Busan, South Korea Published: November 19 2005 02:00 | Last updated: November 19 2005 02:00 South Korea yesterday revealed plans to withdraw about a third of its 3,200 troops from Iraq, an embarrassing diplomatic blow to President George W. Bush only a day after he thanked Roh Moo-hyun, his South Korean counterpart, for helping "democracy flourish" in the Middle East. As the two leaders attended the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation summit in the South Korean port city of Busan, the South's defence ministry confirmed...

Troops say they’ll miss tours in Europe By Jason Chudy and Jon R. Anderson, Stars and Stripes European edition, Saturday, August 21, 2004 Troops deployed to the gritty combat zones of Iraq and Central Asia say they’ll miss tours to friendlier assignments in Europe, but the understand the reasons for cutting troops there. It’s reductions to forces from South Korea — a hardship tour for most soldiers — that’s raising eyebrows among many troops. As part of a plan announced by President Bush on Monday, the Pentagon will cut some 70,000 troops from Europe and the Pacific. The bulk of...