Bush says Iraqi security forces outnumber US troops in Iraq

US President George W. Bush said on Tuesday that Iraqi security forces are beefing up as more than 150,000 Iraqi security forces have been trained and equipped.

"Today, more than 150,000 Iraqi security forces have been trained and equipped, and for the first time, the Iraqi army, police and security forces now outnumber US forces in Iraq," Bush said to US soldiers in a military base in Texas.

"Iraq security forces are becoming more self-reliant and taking on greater responsibilities. And that means that America and its coalition partners are increasingly playing more of a supporting role," Bush said.

Bush stopped short of setting a deadline for withdrawing the roughly 140,000 US troops in Iraq, but said that the day they will leave has drawn closer as the number of trained Iraqi security forces has grown.

US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said in Baghdad on Tuesday that Washington has no exit strategy from Iraq, stressing that any pullout depended on the readiness of Iraqi forces to ensure security.

The New York Times reported on Monday that American-led military campaign in Iraq is making enough progress in fighting insurgents and training Iraqi security forces to allow the Pentagon to plan for significant troops reductions by early next year.

American force levels in Iraq could drop to around 105,000 or about 13 brigades, by early next year, from the 142,000 now, just over 17 brigades, unidentified senior military officials were quoted as reporting.

Over 1,500 US soldiers have been killed in Iraq since US-led war on Iraq broke out on March 20, 2003.

Source: Xinhua