Bush: 8,000 troops to leave Iraq by February (Roundup)

Sep 9, 2008, 14:31 GMT

Washington - The United States plans to bring another 8,000 troops home from Iraq by February while expanding its military presence in Afghanistan, President George W Bush announced Tuesday.

The Iraq force reductions were recommended by General David Petraeus, commander of US forces in Iraq, due to a sharp drop in violence in Iraq over the last several months, Bush said.

'Here is the bottom line: While the enemy in Iraq is dangerous, we have seized the offensive, Iraqi forces are becoming increasingly capable of leading and winning the fight,' Bush said in an address at the National Defense University in Washington.

Bush said that violence was its lowest level since spring 2004 and had been 'sustained for several months,' leading Petraeus and Iraq Ambassador Ryan Crocker to believe there was a 'degree of durability' to the improvements made.

The reduction in Iraqi force needs will allow a US Marine battalion to head to Afghanistan in November instead of Iraq. Another US Army brigade will head to Afghanistan in January, Bush said.

Taliban and al-Qaeda remnants in Afghanistan have stepped up attacks on coalition forces and civilians in the country since the spring. Bush said the US and allies were forced to respond with greater troop numbers as 'the security situation changed.'

Earlier this summer, the US military cut Iraq combat tours from 15 months to 12 months, with the expiration of a 16-month surge of 20,000 extra troops, part of a strategy credited with reducing violence.

It had been unclear until now whether any further withdrawals were planned before Bush leaves office in January. Bush had promised to cut back on the US presence based on a policy of 'return on success.'