BUSH: "TROOPS ARE COMING OUT (AND STAYING) BECAUSE "WE'RE SUCCESSFUL"

In a press conference today, President Bush was asked to explain how his views on Iraq fit with new Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s belief that Australian troops should withdraw from Iraq. Bush said there was no conflict, adding that the U.S. is also “withdrawing troops” because of a “return on success”:

And by the way, we are withdrawing troops. It’s called return on success. And our intention is to pull down five — you know, five battalions by July. Troops are coming out — five brigades, excuse me. Troops are coming out, because we’re successful. And so, I would view the Australian decision as return on success — returning home on success.

Watch it: Click on this link to see Bush speak about troops in Iraq: http://thinkprogress.org/2008/03/28/bush-return-success/

According to Bush, “troops are coming out because we’re successful,” but they’re also staying in Iraq because we’re successful. On the anniversary of the war, Bush said he will not order further withdrawals because he refuses to “jeopardize the hard-fought gains” of the past year.

This week, Bush was presented with a plan for a “pause” in troop reductions from top military officials, in order to preserve recent “security gains.” The New York Times reported:
Troop levels in Iraq would remain nearly the same through 2008 as they have been through most of the five years of war there .. But it now appears likely that any decision on major reductions in American troops from Iraq will be left to the next president.

In reality, this week’s spike in violence across southern Iraq reflects how the U.S. presence — particularly the surge — has done little to bring long-term security to Iraq.

The small withdrawal isn’t a “return on success.” Rather, in the face of increasing pressure from military officials about the strain on soldiers from the war, Bush is being forced to withdraw some troops because it is the only way to sustain his surge while giving troops some rest.