[Mb-civic] U.K. Memo Cites Plans For Troop Reduction - Washington Post

[William Swiggard]

U.K. Memo Cites Plans For Troop Reduction

By Glenn Frankel and Josh White
Washington Post Foreign Service
Monday, July 11, 2005; Page A01

LONDON, July 10 -- The United States and Britain are drawing up plans to 
withdraw the majority of their troops from Iraq by the middle of next 
year, according to a secret memo written for British Prime Minister Tony 
Blair by Defense Secretary John Reid.

The paper, which is marked "Secret -- UK Eyes Only," said "emerging U.S. 
plans assume that 14 out of 18 provinces could be handed over to Iraqi 
control by early 2006," allowing a reduction in overall U.S.-led forces 
in Iraq to 66,000 troops. The troop level is now at about 160,000, 
including 138,000 American troops, according to a military spokesman in 
Baghdad.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/10/AR2005071000725.html?referrer=email

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