Rupert Cornwell (Extracted from "US plans to cut troops in Iraq by a third next year", The Independent, 24 November 2005)

"The Pentagon is planning to withdraw up to a third of the 160,000 US troops in Iraq by the end of next year, barring serious deterioration of security.

The first three of the 18 combat brigades in the country could be pulled out early next year if the 15 December parliamentary elections go relatively smoothly. The speed of the pull-out would depend on whether newly trained Iraqi forces can shoulder a greater responsibility for security."

[Ed Of course, American troops will be pulled out of Iraq next year! Of course, Washington will pronounce the adequacy of the Iraqi security forces! Otherwise, the Republicans will be slaughtered in the mid-term elections in November 2006 and President Bush will have no leg to stand on for the remainder of his term. In order for this to have sufficient effect on public opinion in the time available, then it is likely that more than a third of the troops will be withdrawn and will take place earlier in the year rather than later.]