U.S. President George W. Bush has received a briefing by the Pentagon officials about further troop withdrawal from Iraq, said the White House on Thursday.
"The president is now considering his options, and I would expect that as he works through that, as soon as he's finished with it, we'll be able to provide you more information," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said without elaborating on more details.
She also said that news on future troop levels could come when Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen testify before Congress next week.
The president listened to senior military officials on Wednesday afternoon at a video conference, according to the Defense Department.
"Secretary Gates and Chairman Mullen presented President Bush with their recommendations on how many additional forces could be safely taken out and how soon," said Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell.
He said that an agreement has been reached among military officials "fundamentally" on how to proceed in Iraq after a 45-dayassessment in the country conducted by U.S. Army Gen. David Petraeus, the top commander of U.S. forces in Iraq.
As of the end of July, five combat brigades that were deployed in March, 2003, as a part of Bush administration surge strategy in Iraq have been all withdrawn, leaving some 146,000 U.S. troops in Iraq.
Petraeus earlier said that he would recommend further troop withdrawal based on Iraqi security situation.
Consideration about more troop withdrawal from Iraq also came as the U.S. is keen to send additional troops to Afghanistan, where American troops, at about 33,000, are suffering from rising violence.
Source:Xinhua
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