United States to reduce troops in Afghanistan  05.01.2006 Washington: President George W Bush confirmed plans to reduce US troops in Iraq and Afghanistan by several thousands this year. ''The Iraqi forces showed in last month's parliamentary elections that they are becoming more capable in providing security to the Iraqi people,'' Bush said on Wednesday at the Pentagon. The president spoke after being briefed on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan by US Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld and top military officers. The United States is cutting the number of its combat brigades in Iraq from 17 to 15, and the number of its troops in Afghanistan from 19,000 to 16,500, Bush said, and added that the hunt for terrorists will continue and will be led by the US Army's Special Forces. Bush met Rumsfeld, Marine General Peter Pace, who is chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and three generals directly involved with continuing operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The briefing is part of routine, periodic meetings the president has with Pentagon officials, and is part of the overarching strategy in the ongoing war on terrorism. In a separate speech, Vice-President Dick Cheney on Wednesday said any decision about troop reduction will be made by people on the ground in Iraq, rather than by politicians in Washington. Iraqi security forces increasingly are assuming a greater role in providing security across the country, which is why US forces can be reduced, he said. In Afghanistan, NATO is sending 6,000 more troops from three countries to join the International Security Assistance Force, which relieves the US forces from more routine security duties to expand the search for remnants of the Taliban regime and al-Qaeda forces. In both instances, Bush said US commanders have recommended troop reductions because of the improving security situation. The Bush administration has said from the outset that the United States would bring its forces home as quickly as possible when the security situation improves. Bush also said that he would rely on the opinions of US military commanders in the two countries for determining how soon troops would be withdrawn. ''As we see more of these Iraqi forces in the lead, we'll be able to continue with our desire, our stated strategy that says as Iraqis stand up, we'll stand down,'' he said. ''In 2006, we expect Iraqis will take more and more control of the battle space, and as they do so, we will need fewer US troops to conduct combat operations around that country, Bush added. The reasoning would not be based on timetables set in Washington, he said. A number of administration critics in Congress have urged the United States to begin withdrawing forces this year, saying it was time for Afghan and Iraqi forces to take a greater role in their own security. << | >> |
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