The source explained that troop numbers were expected to decrease slightly over the next 12 months but that the bulk of British and American forces, who make up 138,000 of the coalition's 153,000 troops, would be withdrawn simultaneously.
[...]
The Sunday Telegraph understands that coalition forces, comprising troops from 24 countries, will begin to reduce their presence on the ground markedly over the next few months.
They will withdraw to their bases, where they will in effect become a garrison force to be deployed only in emergency.
This may seem like a way for the Iraqis to take control over their situation, however, none of their units is currently equipped to take on that fight by itself:
Iraq's 232,000-strong, U.S.-trained forces have few tanks but U.S. forces are standing by, commanders said. The loyalties of the largely untried new police and Iraqi army could be tested in any clash with militias from which many were recruited.
The Pentagon said no Iraqi unit can fight on its own yet but about 40,000 troops could lead in combat with U.S. support.
Bush knows this Iraq war of his is no longer winning him support as the "war president", since his poll numbers are tanking to new lows. He didn't finish the war in Afghanistan, which is now facing continual insurgent attacks and chose, as the neocons had planned all along, to attack Iraq as well - a losing proposition. He will certainly attempt to claim victory in Iraq, but tell that to the Iraqi people who will be left with a country in shambles, thousands dead, a tenuous democracy with much internal sectarian political strife and the very real prospect of a fierce civil war looming every day.
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