Testimony of U.S. commander in Iraq signals no change in U.S. Iraq policy

Source: Xinhua | 04-09-2008 08:15

WASHINGTON, April 8 (Xinhua) -- The much-anticipated congressional testimony of Gen. David Petraeus on the Iraq situation on Tuesday and Wednesday is likely to renew the political debate on Iraq in Washington, but it also signals "no change" in policy for the time being.

As expected, Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, during his testimony called for suspending further U.S. troop withdrawals from Iraq for 45 days after the planned pullout of five combat brigades by the end of July.

To make his case, he said there has been "significant but uneven security progress" in Iraq, but the gains are not easy to keep.

As a result, a period of pause in troop drawdown is needed, said Petraeus.

BUSH FAVORS "PAUSE"

The "pause" proposal is favored by the Bush administration.

President George W. Bush injected the five brigades into Iraq in January last year in a plan called the "surge" to quell violence.

When the "surge" runs its course in July, the five brigades are due to return to the United States.

But the Bush administration remains uncommitted on further withdrawal and Petraeus' proposal further illustrated the position.

In effect, it means there will be 140,000 U.S. troops in Iraq by late July, when the Bush administration's "surge" plan ends.

The number is an increase of 8,000 over the 132,000 U.S. troops who were in Iraq in January 2007, before the "surge" plan began.

Last week, a similar line was spoken by Bush, who insisted there is progress in Iraq and the "surge" is working.

By that time, he had already hinted that he is ready to endorse the "pause" proposed by Petraeus.

Bush is expected to make a speech on Iraq Thursday and formally adopt the proposal.