Report: Pentagon, Petraeus at odds over speed, depth of troop drawdown

Above: Soldiers from the 3rd Infantry Division lead Iraqi soldiers to their next objective in Arab Jabour two weeks ago.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 24 — As the Bush administration mulls options for withdrawing forces in Iraq, fault lines are beginning to emerge in a debate between commanders in the field who favor slow reductions and senior generals at the Pentagon who favor cutting the number of combat troops more deeply.

Among others, Gen. Peter Pace, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Gen. George W. Casey Jr., the Army chief of staff, are said to be leaning toward a recommendation that steep reductions by the end of 2008, perhaps to half of the 20 combat brigades now in Iraq, should be the administration’s goal.

Such a drawdown would be deeper and faster than Gen. David H. Petraeus, the top commander in Iraq, is expected to recommend next month, administration officials said...

A Pentagon official who supports a sharp drawdown described the steep troop reductions as “what we’re shooting for, our initial goal”...

But the assessment that General Petraeus is preparing to deliver next month is likely to call for at most modest reductions in troop levels by next spring. At that point the five more brigades added this year under the president’s troop increase are likely to be withdrawn gradually.

Read the rest at the NY Times

Related Link:
Report: Pace, Joint Chiefs to privately advise Bush to reduce troops by nearly half to stop strain on military

Related link:
Report: Bush to offer plan for gradual drawdown of troops

Related Link:
Odierno: Commanders planning surge units to complete 15-month deployments; Last would leave August, 2008

Related Link:
Pentagon: Surge on through Spring 2008

Related Link:
Pentagon: Troop levels to reach all-time high of 171,000 as part of rotations

Related Link:
Petraeus: 'I think everyone understands that by about a year or so from now we've got to be a good bit smaller'

Related Link:
Casey: Army 'consumed with meeting the current demands' at expense of readiness, soldier well being

Related Link:
Expert: Phased withdrawal could be accomplished in a year, but 'U.S. could rush out in as little as a few weeks and no more than a few months'

Related Link:
Officials: Petraeus report to push for maintaining surge levels while reducing U.S. presence in some areas

Related Link:
General Cody: 15-month tours to apply to deployments through Summer, 2008

Related Link:
Army Withdrawal Study: Shias drive Sunnis out, Sunni factions fight in Anbar, Shia factions fight in south, Turkey fights PKK, Maliki depends on Iran

Related Link:
Report: New NIE will say Iraq in mature civil war, warns of coordinated attack on troops before September report

Related Link:
Report: Petraeus tells Congressional delegation the U.S. 'will be in Iraq in some way for 9 or 10 years'

Related Link:
U.S.: At least 8 months before Iraqis can begin to take over security in Ramadi

Related Link:
Commanders: Lack of equipment, air power hinder Iraqi takeover of security in Mosul

Related Link:
Joint Chiefs Nominee Mullen: 'I do think we will be there for years, not months'

Related Link:
Cheney: Petraeus' September report will announce 'significant progress'

Related Link:
Rice, Gates promise Arab leaders no 'precipitous' withdrawal from Iraq

Related Link:
Odierno: 'We need forces here for a few more years'

Related Link:
Petraeus: Substantial U.S. troop presence needed through mid-2009

Related Link:
Sources: U.S. increasing funding, support of armed civilian militias

Related Link:
General Dubik: Iraqi forces lacking experienced officers; Sectarianism still prevalent, but fighting is priority

Related Link:
Petraeus: September report to recommend continuing 'surge' through Summer 2008

Related Link:
Gaskin: Iraqi Army lacks logistics to remain battle ready

Related Link:
Iraqi Ambassador: U.S. dragging feet on equipping security forces

Related Link:
Reports: Petraeus-Crocker classified plan seeks 'sustainable security by the summer of 2009'

Related Link:
General Pittard: Handing over security control 'not a main priority'; At least 2 more years needed

Related Link:
Iraq National Security Advisor: Iraqi takeover of security won't meet goal

Related Link:
Quarterly Report: Iraq security effort lagging

Related Link:
General Lynch: Surge must last into summer of next year

Related Link:
General Gaskin: 2 more years needed to support Iraqi security forces

Related Link:
Odierno: Any quick change risks troop lives; says September report only preliminary; 'In order to do a good assessment I need at least until November'

Related Link:
Chairman of Joint Chiefs Pace: 'What I'm hearing now is a sea change' in Iraq security; Says Pentagon will present own recommendations in September

Related Link:
Chairman of Joint Chiefs Pace: Bigger troop buildup an option

Related Link:
Report: Internal White House debates raging over 'post-surge redeployment'; Gates pressing for pullback from Baghdad in 2008

Related Link:
Gates, Mixon: Withdrawal logistics could take years

Related Link:
Lynch: 'Surge' needs to last through Spring, 2008

Related Link:
Lynch: Not enough troops to maintain security

Related Link:
Chairman of Joint Chiefs Pace: Number of Iraqi battalions declines from 10 to 6, calls it a 'minor variation'

Related Link:
Marine Commandant Conway: Marine Corps resisting pressure to extend combat deployments

Related Link:
Army Chief of Staff Casey: Deployments may extend past 15 months

Related Link:
Petraeus: Expect insurgent 'sensational attacks' to 'grab the headlines to create a mini-Tet'; Says Sept. report will give 'implications' of 'options'

Related Link:
Lynch: Withdrawal of surge forces will escalate violence; 'It would be a mess'

Related Link:
Report: Gates seeks deal for 'long-term presence' in exchange for troop drawdown by 2009

Related Link:
Report: Bush Iraq exit plan calls for drawdown to 50-70,000 troops based away from cities, aided by carrier strike groups

Related Link:
Report: U.S. military has serious doubt in Iraq troops

Related Link:
Pittard: 'A couple of years' before Iraqis can provide full security

Related Link:
Petraeus: No foreseeable drawdown of troops; 'We have a lot of heavy lifting to do'

Related Link:
Troops denied month break

Related Link:
Report: Iraqi soldiers face Baghdad rotations of only 3 months

Related Link:
Congress, DoD spar over soldier testimony on Iraqi forces training

Related Link:
Bush signs Democrat-controlled Congress' $95 billion bill to fund the war with no restrictions through September

Related Link:
General Dempsey: U.S., Iraq to spend $14 billion for 40,000 new Iraqi soldiers

Related Link:
Pentagon extends tours to 15 months for all active-duty army troops in Iraq, Afghanistan; Guard, Reserve, Marines excepted