US News
Bush not ruling out further troop withdrawals from Iraq
By DPA
Jan 4, 2006, 19:00 GMT

Washington - U.S. President George W. Bush said Wednesday that the presence of American troops in Iraq could be reduced this year beyond the numbers already proposed.

But any decision to withdrawal additional soldiers will be based on conditions on the ground and recommendations by the U.S. military, Bush said - not on a 'false political timetable in Washington DC.'

U.S. Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, during a December 23 trip to Iraq, first announced U.S. plans to lower the American presence in Iraq by 7,000 troops this spring, below the baseline figure of 138,000. That does not include removing the extra 20,000 soldiers deployed to Iraq to beef up security for 2005 elections.

Bush, after receiving a briefing at the Pentagon from his military commanders, said that if the situation in Iraq continues to improve, there could be more reductions.

'Later this year ... we can discuss further possible adjustments with the leaders of a new government of Iraq, but my decisions will be based on conditions on the ground,' Bush said.