Sounds like things are going good enough in Iraq that we can bring some of those heroes home:
In a primetime television address, probably Thursday, Bush will endorse the recommendations of his top general and top diplomat in Iraq, following their appearance at two days of hearings in Congress, administration officials said. The White House plans to issue a written status report on the so-called “surge” on Friday, they said.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because Bush’s speech is not yet finally drafted. Bush was practicing the speech and putting the final touches on it even as the U.S. commanding general, David Petraeus, and U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker were still presenting their arguments on Capitol Hill.
The reductions envisioned by the White House mirror those proposed by Petraeus and would leave approximately 130,000 U.S. troops on the ground by August, roughly the same level that existed before Bush ordered the buildup early this year, the officials said.
That’s a drop of around 30,000 troops. This is predicated on the condition of the country and the level of violence. Hopefully, the government can come together and start making progress and these folks can come home for some much deserved R&R.
