The top U.S. general in Iraq is expected by Bush administration officials to recommend removing American troops soon from several areas where "security has improved", the Los Angeles Times reported Thursday.
According to the report, Gen. David H. Petraeus is expected to propose the partial pullback in his September status report to Congress, when both the war's critics and supporters plan to reassess its course.
Administration officials who support the current troop levels hope Petraeus' recommendations will persuade Congress to reject pressure for a major U.S. withdrawal.
The expected recommendation will authorize U.S. commanders to withdraw troops from places that have become less violent and turn over security responsibilities to Iraqi forces.
But it does not necessarily follow that Petraeus would call for reducing the overall number of troops in the country.
Instead, he could move them to another hot spot, or use them to create a reserve force to counter any rise in violence.
U.S. force levels in Iraq reached nearly 162,000 this month, an increase of about 30,000 from the beginning of the year, when the American military's troop buildup began.
Source: Xinhua
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