Top U.S. Commander for Middle East: No Troop Cuts in Iraq Before Mid-2007

Sept. 19 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. is unlikely to cut the number of its troops in Iraq until at least the middle of next year because the sectarian violence is greater than expected, the top U.S. commander for the Middle East said today.

General John Abizaid said the U.S. has over 140,000 troops in Iraq, up from about 131,600 in February when he, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and General George Casey, the top commander in Iraq, said troop levels could be reduced by the end of this year.

``If you had asked me six months ago, I would have said that we would be a down a couple of brigades from what we currently have,'' Abizaid told reporters at a breakfast meeting in Washington.

Since then, the sectarian violence has increased, the development of Iraq's police has been was slower than expected and the new Iraqi government was slow to form, Abizaid said.

``I think this level will probably have to be sustained through the spring and then we'll reevaluate,'' Abizaid said. ``I think these are prudent force levels.''

The number of U.S. troops is murky. Abizaid today said the number was over 140,000. His staff later said it was closer to 142,000. Pentagon spokesman Joe Carpenter said Sept. 16 the number was about 147,000.

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