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 Editorials | Issues | June 2007 
Soldiering On: ABC News Learns of Plans to Keep Troops in Iraq Beyond 2009
 ABC News
| | Iraq's president tells ABC's George Stephanopoulos on "This Week" this Sunday that Iraqi forces can take over, but no time soon. |
Editor's Note: ABC News sent out a bulletin on Friday afternoon stating, "The following report aired this evening on "World News with Charles Gibson" and provided a link to the story titled: "Soldiering On: ABC News Learns of Plans to Keep Troops in Iraq Beyond 2009." ABC has subsequently removed this story from its website." - TO/vh
U.S. officials tell ABC News that the troop levels in Iraq cannot be maintained at the present level, either politically or practically, with the military stretched so thin.
But that does not imply an immediate drawdown. Officials tell ABC's Martha Raddatz the senior commanders in Iraq - Lt. Gen. Ray Odierno and Gen. David Petraeus - want the surge to continue until at least December, and expect to report enough progress by September to justify the extension.
The drawdown would begin in February 2008, although each of the two generals supports a slightly different plan.
Plan one, which officials say is being pushed by Odierno, calls for a reduction in troops from roughly 150,000 today to 100,000 by December of 2008.
Petreaus champions a slightly different approach that would be to cut the troops down to roughly 130,000 by the end of 2008, with further reductions the following year.
Presence in Iraq Beyond 2009
There is also discussion of how long troops will remain in Iraq.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates envisions "some presence" on the part of the United States that "provides reassurance to our friends and to governments in the region, including those that might be our adversaries, that we're going to be there for a long time," Gates said.
A senior official said one long-term plan would have 30-50,000 U.S. forces in Iraq for 5-10 years beyond 2009.
During that period, the bulk of the troops would be deployed to bases at strategic points throughout Iraq to respond to crisis in those areas. Camp Victory would continue to operate as the U.S. military headquarters in Baghdad.
Iraq's president tells ABC's George Stephanopoulos on "This Week" this Sunday that Iraqi forces can take over, but no time soon.
When asked when the Iraqi army will be ready to defend its country, Jalal Talabani said, "I think the end of the next year."
But officials have serious doubts about that statement. And as far as the plans for troops, they could all change over the coming months. |
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