PENTAGON URGES CAUTION IN TROOP DRAWDOWN IN IRAQ: BUSH, McCAIN, PALIN PLAY POLITICS WITH TROOPS

The top military leaders at the Pentagon are urging caution in too quick a drawdown of U.S. troops from Iraq, however President Bush and GOP candidates for President and Vice President, John McCain and Sarah Palin, are playing "politics" with our troops in Iraq and want at least 8,000 troops returned home or shipped to Afghanistan where the bulk of the war is now taking place.

Pentagon leaders to urge caution in troop cuts

Wednesday September 10, 2008 8:46 AM
By LOLITA C. BALDOR
Associated Press Writer
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/story/0,,-7786950,00.html

WASHINGTON (AP) - Top defense leaders are telling Congress the U.S. must be cautious as the Pentagon begins to cut troops in Iraq and focus more attention on the escalating fight in Afghanistan.

In testimony Wednesday, Defense Secretary Robert Gates was to note the dramatic security gains in Iraq over the past year but say that uncertainty remains and further troop reductions must be done with balance and care, Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said.

At the same time, Gates and Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, were looking ahead to a broader effort in Afghanistan to beat back a Taliban resurgence and build up the fragile Afghan central government.

Both were scheduled to testify before the House Armed Services Committee about the latest proposal by President Bush to slowly reduce troop levels in Iraq and start shifting forces to Afghanistan.

Bush announced Tuesday that he will pull about 4,000 troops out of Iraq before the end of the year, and another 4,000 in January - reducing force levels there to roughly 138,000. The 8,000-troop drawdown represents just 5 percent of the 146,000 U.S. troops now in Iraq.

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