Gates raises possibility of winter drawdown in Iraq (Reuters)

Source: Reuters

Gates raises possibility of winter drawdown in Iraq

By Kristin Roberts
2 hours, 18 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates raised the
possibility on Thursday of a reduction in U.S. forces in Iraq by late 2007
or early 2008, saying the Pentagon's decision to keep combat troops
in place longer than expected got the "bad news" out of the way.

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Asked if he thought a drawdown by winter was a real possibility, Gates
said, "Yes."

"I think it's a possibility," he told reporters en route to Washington after
a meeting of some NATO defense ministers in Canada. He added any
decision on troop levels would be driven by conditions on the ground in
Iraq.

Gates' comments came hours after a deadly suicide bombing in Baghdad's
heavily fortified Green Zone that killed eight in Iraq's parliament.

-snip-

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070412/pl_nm/iraq_usa_dc_3

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Article continues with the aftermath of the Green Zone bombing.