US troops would probably stay in
Iraq for a
"protracted period" despite gradual withdrawal, US Defense
Secretary Robert Gates said on Sunday.
"Assuming the conditions prevail in Iraq that allow us to
continue the draw down that the president has talked about, the
idea is that we would have a much more limited role in Iraq for
some protracted period of time, a stabilizing force," he told ABC
News, "a force that would be a fraction of the size of what we have
there now."
However, he did not elaborate on the number of the "fraction,"
only saying it has to be decided on after consultation with Iraqis
to "see what they're prepared to accept."
Gates said, as recommended by Gen. David Petraeus, US troops in
Iraq would take a transition in their role from combating to
enhancing border security, fighting terrorists and training Iraqi
forces.
When asked by the TV host if US presence in Iraq will last 50
years like in South Korea, Gates said "history remains to be
written."
"If we leave Iraq in a situation where it's stable and where
they are making good progress, then probably not," he said, "But if
we leave an Iraq where there is chaos or instability, where
al-Qaida has the chance to come back, then you could have
substantial forces for some protracted period of time."
After Bush announced a gradual reduction of about 30,000 troops
from Iraq by next July, Gates said on a Friday's news conference
that it would possible to further cut troop levels from about
130,000 to 100,000 by the end of next year if Iraq situation
continues to improve.
However, the Bush administration's withdrawal plan is still
short of satisfying Democrats and most public. Demanding much
larger size of reduction, Democratic lawmakers are preparing to
submit another defense bill next week to push in Congress for a
more significant withdrawal of troops from Iraq.
Thousands of people rallied near the White House on Saturday and
lashed out Bush's latest speech and the government assessment
report on Iraqi situation that both praised "progress" in Iraq
brought by US troop surge and defended the current Iraq policy.
They marched to the Capitol Hill later in the day as a move to call
for more lawmakers to support the bill on withdrawal.
(Xinhua News Agency September 17, 2007)
