Officials: U.S. hopes to cut troops in Iraq by 30,000

by Auday Sadik

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Gen. George Casey, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, has tentative plans to reduce U.S. troops levels in Iraq by about 30,000 by the end of the year, senior military officials said Wednesday.

     Casey said he is still on his "general timeline" for recommending further U.S. troop reductions.                                                                                                                           
    
     The officials said that Casey is considering reducing troop levels from 15 brigades to about 10 brigades.

     That would mean U.S. troop levels could be under 100,000 by year's end, officials said. About 160,000 U.S. troops were in Iraq in December, when security was tightened for the country's parliamentary elections. About 130,000 are in the country now.

     Casey met Wednesday with U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who along with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was in Baghdad on an unannounced mission to show support for Iraq's move toward a new government.

     After meeting with Casey, Rumsfeld told reporters that "the question of our forces' levels here will depend on conditions on the ground and discussions with the Iraqi government, which will evolve over time."

     Military officials familiar with troop-level planning told CNN that reductions would happen by attrition: Some units would not be replaced when they rotate home later this year.

     The officials said the U.S. plan is to consolidate forces at several large "super-bases," to lower their profile and move them out of the line of fire.

     The possibility of reducing troops in Iraq comes as some retired top military generals are openly expressing dismay at the way the administration has been conducting the war.

     During their visit, Rumsfeld and Rice were expected to urge Iraqi Prime Minister-designate Nuri Kamil al-Maliki to quickly form a government, a step that the U.S.-led coalition has said will help end violence that has plagued Iraq over the past three years.

     Earlier this week, al-Maliki said he thinks U.S. troops could begin withdrawing in 18 months or less if his country's security forces get up to speed.

     Last week, Iraqi lawmakers broke an impasse over the selection of a prime minister when President Jalal Talabani designated al-Maliki, a Shiite, to the post.Since then, al-Maliki has decided to use his real name, Nuri Kamil al-Maliki, as opposed to Jawad al-Maliki, which he adopted while in exile. (Full story)

     The defense secretary, who flew to Baghdad on orders from President Bush, arrived in Iraq on a C-17 military transport. Rice arrived six hours later, flying in from Turkey.

     At a news conference with Casey, Rumsfeld said Iraq is moving forward. "This is a sovereign country, and they are making impressive progress," he said.

     "We now are moving through another important milestone -- the formation of a new government, a sovereign government of Iraq," Rumsfeld said.

     Al-Maliki has 30 days to put together a government and present it for approval to the 275-member Council of Representatives, the new parliament.

     Since the December elections, squabbling Iraqi lawmakers have missed several deadlines. If the parliament rejects the new government, more delays would stymie the political process that U.S. and Iraqi officials have said is key to defeating the stubborn insurgency.

     In an interview with CNN, al-Maliki, 55, also promised to tackle the problem of militias, the armed groups thought to be fueling sectarian violence. (Full story)

     Three U.S. senators, meanwhile, plan legislation that will send a stark message to Iraqi politicians: Form a government quickly or risk losing U.S. military support.

     Sens. Carl Levin, D-Michigan; Susan Collins, R-Maine; and Jack Reed, D-Rhode Island, said Tuesday the legislation they plan to introduce in Congress would place "significant pressure" on politicians in Baghdad.