Bush to pull back 8,000 troops from Iraq next year_English

Special report: Tension escalates in Iraq

U.S. President George W. Bush delivers a speech at the National Defense University in Washington, D.C., the United States, Sept. 9, 2008. Bush said Tuesday that he plans to withdraw about 8,000 U.S. troops from Iraq by next February and to send some 4,500 troops to Afghanistan next January.

U.S. President George W. Bush delivers a speech at the National Defense University in Washington, D.C., the United States, Sept. 9, 2008. Bush said Tuesday that he plans to withdraw about 8,000 U.S. troops from Iraq by next February and to send some 4,500 troops to Afghanistan next January.(Xinhua/Zhang Yan)
Photo Gallery>>>

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President George W. Bush said Tuesday that he will withdraw some 8,000 troops from Iraq earlier next year when he is leaving office.

Bush made the announcement in a speech at the National Defense University in Washington.

But except withdrawing a Marine battalion of about 1,000 in November, there won't be other reductions in troop levels in Iraq through this year, he said.

In addition, a small Marine contingent will be sent to Afghanistan in November to replace one of two units scheduled to head home then.

There are about 146,000 U.S. troops in Iraq at the present.

Bush may announce decision on troop levels in Iraq: White House

WASHINGTON, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President George W. Bush may announce a decision on the troop levels in Iraq next week, White House said on Friday.

White House spokeswoman Dana Perino told reporters that the president would "likely" make his announcement next week but it would not come with the U.S.-Iraq strategic agreement. Full story

WASHINGTON, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President George W. Bush has received a briefing by the Pentagon officials about further troop withdrawal from Iraq, said the White House on Thursday.

"The president is now considering his options, and I would expect that as he works through that, as soon as he's finished with it, we'll be able to provide you more information," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said without elaborating on more details. Full story

Petraeus submits plan to withdraw troops from Iraq

WASHINGTON, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Top U.S. commander in Iraq David Petraeus has submitted a draft plan to set the pace of withdrawing troops from Iraq, raising the expectations of more troop cuts this fall.

The Washington Post's web site quoted military sources as saying Saturday that the plan were submitted to Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Full story