General Caldwell: 'It'll be fall before' any decision made on drawdown of surge troops

US soldiers provide cover for a joint patrol on the street below in the predominantly Sunni al-Dora neighborhood on Monday

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - U.S. commanders in Iraq won't know until at least autumn when they can begin to bring troop levels back down, the chief spokesman told the Associated Press on Wednesday.

The overall U.S. commander, Gen. David Petraeus, will want to sustain the momentum that has been gained in the Baghdad security offensive by keeping five added Army combat brigades in place, Maj. Gen. William C. Caldwell said.

"I think it'll be fall before General Petraeus can make a decision on whether he wants to bring down his force level," Caldwell said in an interview in Dubai.

Only two of the five Army brigades are fully active in Baghdad, but a third, from the 82nd Airborne Division, is moving in now. Caldwell said all five won't be in place until June. A pair of additional Marine battalions are reinforcing operations in western Anbar province.

Read the rest at the Guardian

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