U.S. to Trim Its Forces in Iraq

By Bradley Brooks

Associated Press Writer

May 6, 2008

CBNNews.com - BAGHDAD -- About 3,500 American soldiers are scheduled to leave Iraq in the coming weeks, the U.S. military announced, as part of the Pentagon's overall reduction in troop strength following last year's "surge."

Washington plans to trim it forces in Iraq to about 140,000 soldiers by the summer - from a peak of about 170,000 in October at the height of the troop buildup in Baghdad and surrounding areas.

The departing soldiers, part of the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, will redeploy to Fort Benning, Ga., the military said.

The U.S. sent some 30,000 additional troops into Iraq last year to help stem growing violence. The troop increase, a truce by a key Shiite Muslim militia and the rise of Sunni fighters who allied with the U.S. in the battle against al-Qaeda were credited with a sharp decrease in bloodshed during the last 10 months.

Brig. General: Drawdown Reflects Progress

The soldiers are part of the third of five "surge" brigades scheduled to leave the country. The other two are expected to return to the U.S. by the end of July. There are currently about 159,000 U.S. soldiers in Iraq.

"The continued drawdown of surge brigades demonstrates continued progress in Iraq," Brig. Gen. Dan Allyn said in the statement released late Monday. "After July, commanders will assess our security posture for about 45 days and determine future force requirements based on these conditions-based assessments."

Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, has pushed for a so-called "pause" in further redeployment of U.S. troops.

Critics have called for a quicker withdrawal of American soldiers, but commanders on the ground insist the slowdown is needed so a sharp increase in violence is not seen when U.S. forces leave.

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