US general recommends troop cuts

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Source: CCTV.com | 09-11-2007 09:16

The top commander of US forces in Iraq says he sees the withdrawal of roughly 30,000 combat troops from the country by the middle of 2008.

Speaking to a congressional hearing on a war that has killed nearly 4,000 US troops and tens of thousands of Iraqis, General David Petraeus has also strongly endorsed President George W. Bush's decision to add forces this year.

In a long-awaited testimony amid deep skepticism from the Democrats who last year seized control of Congress, General David Petraeus says the troop build-up over recent months had met its military objectives.

US commander in Iraq, general David Petraeus said, "In recent months, in the face of tough enemies in the brutal summer heat in Iraq without jeopardizing the security gains we have fought so hard to achieve."

Petraeu's high-profile appearance at an unusual joint hearing of two congressional committees, is seen as a crucial moment as the US looks to the future of its troubled involvement in Iraq. The commander is widely admired by Democrats and Republicans alike and the White House has looked to him to give a boost to Iraq policies at a time when Bush's popularity is sagging, mostly because of his handling of the war.