US to cut combat troops in Iraq - Rumsfeld
(AP)
Updated: 2005-12-23 14:55

The president, Rumsfeld and other Bush administration and military officials long have said that U.S. troop reductions would occur as the Iraqis show signs of being able to take control of their country. As evidence of progress, these officials in recent weeks have pointed to growing numbers of Iraqi troops they say are capable of lead combat roles.

The American force peaked at 192,000 during the March 2003 invasion; the monthly low was 109,000 in January 2004.

Earlier in Baghdad, Rumsfeld, on an unannounced trip to Iraq, was asked by reporters whether he had decided to hold back the deployment of the 1st Brigade of the 1st Infantry Division from Fort Riley, Kan., and the 2nd Brigade of the 1st Armored Division, now in Kuwait.

Rumsfeld would not answer directly, but then elaborated during his visit to Fallujah.

Upon his arrival in the Iraqi capital, Rumsfeld met with Gen. George Casey, the top US commander in Iraq, and Zalmay Khalilzad, the US ambassador to Baghdad.

It was Rumsfeld's 11th trip to Iraq since the war began.

For the first time since the insurgency took hold in Iraq in midsummer 2003, Rumsfeld was spending the night in the country. He previously had made Iraq day trips but spent the night in other countries in the region.

The issue of troops reductions came up earlier during Rumsfeld's visit to Afghanistan.

"Well, we're not going to withdraw precipitously. We're going to finish the important work that's being done there," he responded.

During Rumsfeld's stop in Afghanistan, military officials said they were making good progress toward eliminating the Taliban resistance and al-Qaida terrorists who continue sporadical violence against US troops.

But some officers said the hostile forces were making some gains by acquiring more advanced weaponry, such as armor-piercing munitions, and improving their training and organization.