US President George Bush may reduce amount of troops in Iraq
{{date|September 12, 2007}}

According to [[United States]] officials at the [[w:White House|White House]], President [[George W. Bush]] will be cutting the amount of U.S. troops in [[Iraq]] by as much of 30,000, to "pre-surge" force levels, and the withdraw could take place as early as next [[w:Summer|Summer]], but with certain "conditions" applying.

The plans are expected to be formally announced in a speech Bush is expected to make on Thursday at 9:00 p.m. ([[w:Eastern Time Zone (North America)|eastern time]]).

Officials say that the President will endorse the reduction of troops recommended by [[w:David Petraeus|General David Petraeus]].

"I believe that we will be able to reduce our forces to the pre-surge level ... by next summer without jeopardizing the security gains we have fought so hard to achieve. The level of security incidents has declined in eight of the past 12 weeks, with the level of incidents in the past two weeks the lowest since June of 2006," said Petraeus while testifying in front of the U.S. [[w:United States Congress|Congress]] on Monday.

According to officials, the conditions on the reduction of troops depends on whether or not violence in Iraq continues to decline, and how much political stability and security progresses.

Currently, there are 168,000 U.S. troops serving in Iraq, the most that have ever been in the country.

==Related news==
*{{wikinews|title=General Petraeus: 30,000 troops may be able to leave Iraq by next summer|date=September 10, 2007}}

== Sources ==
*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6990361.stm
|title=Bush 'to announce Iraq troop cut'
|author=
|pub=BBC News
|date=September 11, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070911/NEWS07/70911051/1008
|title=Bush to adopt Petraeus' troop withdrawal recommendations
|author=Matthew Lee & Anne Fleherty
|pub=Detroit Free Press
|date=September 11, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.kbsd6.com/Global/story.asp?S=7058503
|title=President to Reduce US Troops in Iraq
|author=Associated Press
|pub=KWCH
|date=September 11, 2007}}

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[[Category:World]]
[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:Middle East]]
[[Category:Iraq]]
[[Category:United States]]
[[Category:George W. Bush]]

[[es:El Senado muestra su rechazo y escepticismo ante la propuesta de Petraeus para Irak#Bush a declarar]]
According to United States officials at the White House, President George W. Bush will be cutting the amount of U.S. troops in Iraq by as much of 30,000, to "pre-surge" force levels, and the withdraw could take place as early as next Summer, but with certain "conditions" applying.

The plans are expected to be formally announced in a speech Bush is expected to make on Thursday at 9:00 p.m. (eastern time).

Officials say that the President will endorse the reduction of troops recommended by General David Petraeus.

"I believe that we will be able to reduce our forces to the pre-surge level ... by next summer without jeopardizing the security gains we have fought so hard to achieve. The level of security incidents has declined in eight of the past 12 weeks, with the level of incidents in the past two weeks the lowest since June of 2006," said Petraeus while testifying in front of the U.S. Congress on Monday.

According to officials, the conditions on the reduction of troops depends on whether or not violence in Iraq continues to decline, and how much political stability and security progresses.

Currently, there are 168,000 U.S. troops serving in Iraq, the most that have ever been in the country.
World Politics and conflicts Middle East Iraq United States George W. Bush