Combat troops to be scaled back in Iraq: Rumsfeld

By Lesley Wroughton

FALLUJA, Iraq (Reuters) – U.S. Defense Secretary Donald
Rumsfeld said on Friday the number of U.S. combat forces in
Iraq would be cut by some 7,000 by early next year, but the
numbers involved in training Iraq’s new military would
increase.

Army General George Casey, the U.S. commander in Iraq,
later told reporters that the U.S. force would be reduced to a
new baseline of about 130,000 from the current standard level
of 138,000.

Rumsfeld, the second senior U.S. official to visit Iraq
this week in the wake of Iraq’s parliamentary election, said
progress in Iraq’s politics, economics and security lay behind
the decision to scale back the combat troops.

“President (George W.) Bush has authorized an adjustment in
U.S. combat brigades in Iraq from 17 to 15,” Rumsfeld said,
addressing U.S. troops at a military camp east of Falluja.

“This will include increases in the number of U.S. forces
involved in transition teams, intelligence support, and
logistics, to assist the Iraqi security forces in continuing to
assume greater responsibility for the security of their
country.”

“The adjustment being announced today is a recognition of
the Iraqi people’s progress in assuming added responsibility
for their country,” Rumsfeld said, adding that the U.S. and
Iraqi governments would evaluate the troop situation as they
go.

Casey said he did not have a target for troop withdrawals
by the end of next year, but added that a further reduction was
likely in the spring when he reviews the situation again.

“This is going to be a measured and gradual process that
will play out over the next year or two,” he said, adding that
the cut back was part of broader strategy to gradually hand
over security powers to the Iraqi military.

“It’s a step on the way to total independence for Iraqi
security forces which will be some time down the road,” he
said.

Casey said while the plan was to reduce troops he was also
prepared to increase numbers again if needed.

Rumsfeld said some of the troops from the two brigades
affected would be transferred from combat to training Iraqis,
but Casey said there were no immediate plans to bring any of
them to Iraq.

U.S. Democrats have been pressing Bush to lay out a plan
for the withdrawal of the U.S. military from Iraq.

VIOLENCE

“We anticipate future coalition force-level discussions at
some point in 2006, after the new Iraqi government is in place
and is prepared to discuss the future,” Rumsfeld said.

He cautioned that Iraq still faced enormous security
challenges.

“Violence in Iraq, unfortunately, will likely continue to
fluctuate as terrorists and others try to block Iraq’s path to
democracy — the path now clearly chosen by the overwhelming
majority of the Iraqi people,” Rumsfeld said.

“Ultimately it will be the continued wise choices by the
Iraqi people that will end the violence over time.”

Taking questions from troops, Rumsfeld said the United
States had no plans to set up a permanent U.S. base in Iraq,
explaining that the subject had not been raised with Iraqi
officials. “Until now there has been no one to talk to,” he
said.

After leaving Falluja by helicopter, Rumsfeld boarded a
cargo plane for Amman to see the training of Iraqi forces at a
Jordanian special operations center.

“As you know, the United States and coalition countries are
anxious to turn over security responsibilities to you as soon
as we are able to do so,” he told an audience of Iraqis there.

He later returned to Baghdad for a meeting with Iraqi
President Jalal Talabani and Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari.

Jaafari welcomed the U.S. decision on troop cutbacks,
saying it demonstrated the “growing capabilities and confidence
of Iraqi security forces.”