Bush orders halt of troop withdrawals from Iraq

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Source: CCTV.com | 04-11-2008 08:46

US President George W. Bush has ordered an indefinite halt of troop withdrawals from Iraq after July, following recommendations from his top war commander in that country.

US President George W. Bush has ordered an indefinite halt of troop withdrawals from Iraq after July,  following recommendations from his top war commander in that country. (CCTV.com)

In a White House speech on Wednesday, Bush said General David Petraeus will have all the time he needs to consider when more American forces can return home.

Bush's decisions virtually guarantees a major US presence in Iraq until his presidential term runs out in January.

The president also announced plans to reduce the length of combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan to 12 months, down from the current level of 15 months.

He said the changes will take effect on August 1st, and won't affect US forces already deployed.

Now in its sixth year, the US led invasion has claimed the lives of more than 4,000 US troops and cost more than 500 billion dollars.

But Bush says US forces have made major gains since last year, reviving the prospects of success.

George W. Bush, US President, said, "Serious and complex challenges remain in Iraq, from the presence of al-Qaida to the destructive influence of Iran to hard compromises needed for further political progress. Yet, with the surge, a major strategic shift has occurred. Fifteen months ago, America and the Iraqi government were on the defensive. Today, we have the initiative."

On Thursday, US defense Secretary Robert Gates said he has abandoned hope that troop levels in Iraq will drop to 100-thousand by the end of the year.

Instead, he told a Senate panel in Washington that he expects General Petraeus to make an assessment of further troop withdrawals by mid-September.

Editor:Zhang Pengfei