Partial Iraq pullout on track as security improves: Gates

[Barrett808]

Source: AFP

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The situation in Iraq is improving and should allow the first five units of US troops to leave by July with some going as early as this month, US Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Friday.

"The situation on the ground, I think, makes it likely that General (David) Petraeus will be able to decide to bring out the first five teams by July," Gates told an end of year press conference.

"The first of those is coming out this month. My hope has been that the circumstances on the ground will continue to improve," he added.

He said he hoped the improving security in Iraq would allow "drawdowns at roughly the same pace as the first half of the year" but that it would depend on the situation on the ground.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20071221/pl_afp/usiraqdefensegates

[TwilightGardener]

1. They won't even get back to pre-surge force levels--what a shell game they're pulling on us.

[LynnTheDem]

2. What the definition of "is" is.

Parsing for the fools.