Reply #8: Pentagon May Have to Reduce U.S. Forces in Iraq -CBO [View All]

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http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20030903/ts_nm/iraq_congress_forces_dc&cid=564&ncid=1480

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Bush administration may have to cut U.S. troops in Iraq by more than half to keep enough forces to face other threats, a congressional agency said on Tuesday in a report that fueled calls for more international help for peacekeeping in Iraq.

The Congressional Budget Office said under current policies, the Pentagon would be able to sustain an occupation force of 38,000 to 64,000 in Iraq long term, down from the existing 150,000 that a number of lawmakers said is not enough to confront the spiraling violence. snip

The report said the active Army, which is bearing the brunt of Iraq duty, will have to start reducing forces in Iraq in March next year if it keeps its plan to limit deployments without relief to a year.

Under existing policies, the CBO said, the Army could sustain a long-term occupation force there of 38,000 to 64,000 after the winter of 2004-2005.

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