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US commander submits plan to withdraw troops from Iraq

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-08-31 11:34

WASHINGTON -- Top US commander in Iraq David Petraeus has submitted a draft plan to set the pace of withdrawing troops from Iraq, raising the expectations of more troop cuts this fall.

The top US Commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus, talks to Iraqi police and army commanders during a patrol with the Second Stryker Cavalry Regiment in Muqdadiyah, in the Diyala province July 26, 2008. [Xinhua]

The Washington Post's web site quoted military sources as saying Saturday that the plan were submitted to Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

It said Petraeus is expected to submit a final set of recommendations within the next week after analyzing the impact of troop cuts of five US brigades in mid-July.

Related readings:  Obama says he'll cut taxes, end Iraq War  Iraq says US sought troop presence to 2015  Iraq, US eye troops withdrawal by end of 2011

The report is expected to conclude that the outlook in Iraq has improved to merit more troop cuts but the final decision will be made by President George W. Bush sometime in September.

There are expectations that Petraeus may suggest cutting one to two combat brigades, or roughly, 3,500 to 7,000 troops this fall.

At the present, there are 15 US combat brigades or some 146,000 troops in Iraq.

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