US speeds Iraq withdrawal; 4,000 more headed home

Source: Associated Press


WASHINGTON – The United States is speeding up its military withdrawal from Iraq, sending 4,000 more troops home next month, the top American commander there said Wednesday.

The reduced number of forces in Iraq — from 124,000 to 120,000 by the end of October — marks the latest U.S. step in winding down the six-year war.

During testimony before the House Armed Services Committee, Army Gen. Ray Odierno called for "strategic patience" during the withdrawal and the transition of responsibilities to Iraq's security forces. "Iraq is making steady progress, but has a long way to go," he said.

The committee's top Republican, Rep. Howard "Buck" McKeon, said he worried that approaching deadlines for pulling back may be too ambitious.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090930/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_us_iraq

and not just do an aboutface and go to Afghanistan. The wars remain, to me, our greatest problem, they are wrong on so many levels.

Not fast enough?

Iraq isn't ready for us to pull out?

What would the naysayers say?

Iraq will always have a long way to go, as long as we are providing security for the people in power. Citizens of Iraq get free health care; who pays for that?

So how is that a reduction exactly?