U.S. troops in Iraq to pre-vote levels end Jan (Gen. Casey - back to 138k) [View All]

[sabra]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N16270687.htm

U.S. troops in Iraq to pre-vote levels end Jan

WASHINGTON, Dec 16 (Reuters) - The number of U.S. troops in Iraq, boosted to provide additional security for Thursday's election, should fall back to a pre-election "baseline" level by the end of January or early February, the top general in Iraq said on Friday.

Army Gen. George Casey, the U.S. commander in Iraq, was asked in a video-linked news briefing when U.S. troops would be drawn down to their pre-election baseline level, which was about 138,000, from the current more than 150,000.

"We should be down to the old baseline there I'd say probably around the end of January, maybe early February," he said.