Decisions about troop cuts beyond those planned through July would be based on generals' recommendations for what levels are necessary to ensure success in Iraq, the president said.
"There is going to be enormous speculation," he said in a joint appearance at his ranch with Denmark's prime minister, Anders Fogh Rasmussen.
Bush strongly suggested Iraq's provincial elections in October may mean that bringing more troops home would have to wait until after the voting.
"I think our generals ought to be concerned about making sure there's enough of a presence so that the provincial elections can be carried out in such a way that democracy advances," he said. "I'll wait and hear what they have to say. But yes, that ought to be a factor in their recommendation to me."
On Friday, a senior administration official told reporters during a briefing at the White House, "I fully expect there to be more reductions this year — and so does the president."
"There is going to be enormous speculation," he said in a joint appearance at his ranch with Denmark's prime minister, Anders Fogh Rasmussen.
Bush strongly suggested Iraq's provincial elections in October may mean that bringing more troops home would have to wait until after the voting.
"I think our generals ought to be concerned about making sure there's enough of a presence so that the provincial elections can be carried out in such a way that democracy advances," he said. "I'll wait and hear what they have to say. But yes, that ought to be a factor in their recommendation to me."
On Friday, a senior administration official told reporters during a briefing at the White House, "I fully expect there to be more reductions this year — and so does the president."
Read more at http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,334333,00.html
Bush implied that Iraq's provincial election would cause a postponement of troops returning to their homes. He explained that there should be enough troops there to secure that the process is carried out in the correct manner however, by July, there will be about 15 brigades in Iraq for a total of 140,000 men. A senior administration official reports that both he and the President plan to see a considerable reduction in the numer of troops in Iraq in 2008.
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