30,000 Troops May Be Drawn Down

Gen. John P. Abizaid, head of Central Command, has reportedly outlined a plan that could reduce troop strength in Iraq by 20,000 to 30,000 troops beginning this spring. This agrees with a statement made by Gen. George W. Casey Jr., the senior American general in Iraq, that the Defense Department could make “some fairly substantial reductions” by next spring and summer if the political process in Iraq continues satisfactorily and Iraqi forces take more responsibility for security. General Abizaid cautioned, however, that if political and security trends are not satisfactory for withdrawal, troop strength might have to stay at about 138,000 throughout 2006. In addition, forces will increase temporarily in December – perhaps to 160,000 – to accommodate Iraqi elections. Furthermore, some troops leaving Iraq could be kept in reserve in Kuwait.