Bush Confirms US Troop Deployments Cut to 12 Months
President Bush has confirmed that US troop deployments in Iraq will last for 12 months with effect from August 1st 2008. This confirmation, he gave during a hotly-anticipated speech on April 10th, detailing a measure that will reduce the current tour of duty length by three months.
Referring to the Iraqi Army, Bush described it as “increasingly capable.”
On the subject of Iraq’s economy, he said the country was “moving forward.“
Politically, the president spoke of how “progress in the provinces is leading to progress in Baghdad."
As well as the issue of troop deployment length, Bush said that soldiers would get “at least a year home for every year in the field”.
And, speaking directly to members of the US armed forces deployed in Iraq, as well as US civilians, he stated:
“You’ve performed with incredible skill under demanding circumstances. The turnaround you’ve made possible in Iraq is a brilliant achievement in American history and, while this war is difficult, it is not endless."
US Troop Surge
Last year, President Bush ordered 30,000 more US troops into Iraq. Since the US troop surge, he said, a “major strategic shift” had occurred.
The initiative, he said, was now in US’ hands, and the US military was seeking to deliver al-Qaeda with a “crippling blow”.
Previously, General David Patraeus had recommended a pause in US troop withdrawals from Iraq after July, in order to protect gains made to date. The general referred to the pause as a “period of consolidation and evaluation”, to last 45 days.
"I strongly support that”, Bush said today, adding: “...therefore, I won't commit beyond July."
140,000 US Troops in Iraq After July
At present, around 160,000 US troops are deployed in Iraq. By July, this will have been reduced to approximately 140,000 – roughly the number that were there pre-surge.
Threat of Iran, Al-Qaeda
According to the US President, Iran and al-Qaeda represented the two primary threats to the US military’s progress in Iraq. Should the allied mission fail, then both, he explained, would be able to spread their regional influence.
"Al-Qaeda would claim a propaganda victory of colossal proportions", he said.
"Our failure would embolden radical leaders [in Iran] and fuel their ambitions to dominate the region", he added.
“We have put al-Qaeda on the defensive in Iraq, and we're now working to deliver a crippling blow”, asserted Bush.
"Fifteen months ago, Americans were worried about the prospect of failure in Iraq; today, thanks to the surge, we've renewed and revived the prospect of success."
Source - Armed Forces International's US Correspondent
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