The continuing improvement of Iraq security situation after the withdrawal of four U.S. combat brigades might lay ground for further cut of U.S. forces in the country, said a news report on Monday.
According to the USA Today report, most U.S. military officers and experts interviewed showed optimism about the potential to pull out more forces after the end of July.
"I believe the momentum we have is not reversible," Jack Keane, former Army Vice Chief of staff told the newspaper, adding he believed there would be "significant reductions in 2009 whoever becomes president."
The U.S. military statistics showed the average number of weekly attacks in Iraq has dropped to 200, an 80 percent reduction since June 2007, and U.S. and Iraqi casualties have also dropped significantly.
U.S. top military commander in Iraq, David Petraeus, has suggested that further withdrawal suspend after pulling out by the end of July five extra combat brigades deployed in Iraq early last year.
Four of the brigades have left the country and the last one was set to depart later this month, leaving U.S. troops in Iraq remaining at about 140,000.
However, the Defense Department announced last week that it would send six combat brigades to Iraq early next year as replacement troops, including 33,000 Army soldiers and marines, to keep a total of 15 combat brigades stationed in the country.
The decision showed that President George W. Bush's administration had no intention on further reduction of U.S. troops in Iraq before he ends his term.
Taking all public attention for U.S. next move in Iraq, Republican presidential candidate John McCain has vowed to withdraw American forces from Iraq by 2013 with "victory" and his Democratic rival, Barack Obama, promised to start pulling out all combat forces in the first 16 months after he takes White House.
Source:Xinhua
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