Bush ‘to cut Iraq troops’

WASHINGTON – US President George W Bush is expected today to announce a cut of 30 000 soldiers from Iraq by next July in an address to Americans on the divisive issue of US troop levels in the war-torn country.

Bush’s nationally televised speech follows two days of testimony to lawmakers this week by the top US military commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus, who warned an early withdrawal would have ‘devastating’ consequences. The Iraq war is a pivotal issue for the Bush administration, which has urged more time for the current ‘surge’ strategy boosting troops to 160 000 from its prior level of around 130 000 earlier this year.US media reported that Bush is expected to say that troop numbers could return to the pre-surge level by July 2008, when just six months remain of his presidency, leaving the next stage of the conflict up to his successor amid a heated race for the White House.The US president, who is to speak for around 15 minutes today at 9h00 pm (Friday 01h00 GMT), has long vowed to base his decisions about Iraq on the recommendations of military leaders on the ground.But more than four years after the US-led invasion, Americans see an Iraq gripped by violence, sectarian strife and political corruption – far from the ideal model of democracy that Bush had touted.Nampa-AFPThe Iraq war is a pivotal issue for the Bush administration, which has urged more time for the current ‘surge’ strategy boosting troops to 160 000 from its prior level of around 130 000 earlier this year.US media reported that Bush is expected to say that troop numbers could return to the pre-surge level by July 2008, when just six months remain of his presidency, leaving the next stage of the conflict up to his successor amid a heated race for the White House.The US president, who is to speak for around 15 minutes today at 9h00 pm (Friday 01h00 GMT), has long vowed to base his decisions about Iraq on the recommendations of military leaders on the ground.But more than four years after the US-led invasion, Americans see an Iraq gripped by violence, sectarian strife and political corruption – far from the ideal model of democracy that Bush had touted.Nampa-AFP