Stories related to: David Petraeus

President Bush announced that 24,000 troops will return home by July 2008 in an address to the nation in which he touted advancements in Iraq. He termed the reduction "a return on success" that could be squandered by larger withdrawals. Troops could still be added, however, so the total in 2008 could end up higher than the pre-surge number in 2006, the New York Times reports. More »

MoveOn's ad attacking Gen. Petraeus on the war in Iraq may have backfired, igniting a furor that united the GOP and flustered anti-war Democrats, but MoveOn founder Eli Pariser is unapologetic, writes Politico's Ryan Grim. Dems have worked all week to distance themselves from Monday's  full-page Times ad referring to "General Betray Us." But they're not actively denouncing it, either. More »

In a speech tonight, President Bush will outline a plan to bring 5,700 US troops home from Iraq by Christmas, claiming enough security objectives have been met to allow the withdrawal. The New York Times reports that Bush is following the recommendations of Gen. David Petraeus and Ryan Crocker, US ambassador to Iraq, who testified before Congress this week. More »

Once untarnishable, David Petraeus is being transformed into a political figure on both sides of the aisle. Supporters of the US Iraq strategy continue to paint him as a savior, while critics compare him to Westmoreland. "Up until this week, it was Rumsfeld's war," a retired lieutenant colonel tells the Washington Post. "Now, for better or worse, it's Dave's war." More »

Iraq troop withdrawals should be completed by the end of next year, Barack Obama says in a speech obtained by Reuters that was to be delivered in Iowa tonight. “We have to begin to end this war now,” the Democratic presidential candidate demands; his plan calls for one or two US combat brigades to leave Iraq each month, with all troops out by the end of 2008. More »

US officials are holding their noses and negotiating with the Mahdi Army, the Shiite militia loyal to Moqtada al-Sadr, the LA Times reports. The US has held a hard line against the radical cleric, but analysts say that the military has grudgingly accepted that the Mahdi Army is currently holding most of the cards in Baghdad's power struggle. More »

When David Petraeus led the 101st Airborne into Iraq in 2003, he made a rhetorical request: "Tell me how this ends." That question hung in the air during 2 days of testimony before Congress. McClatchy's Newspapers' Warren Strobel summarizes press sentiment when he concludes that the general failed to answer it. More »

Bush will back his top general by pulling 30,000 troops out of Iraq by next summer, the AP reports. But he will condition all cuts on future progress when he gives his speech to the nation this week. He will also echo cautions by Petraeus and Crocker against a quick pullout, positioning his plan as a way to reduce troops without abandoning Iraq. More »

John McCain’s presidential prospects may rest on his criticism of the Bush administration and his support for David Petraeus, and if the situation allows, the Arizona senator will be rewarded for his support of an unpopular war, the Politico's Roger Simon contends . McCain bemoans the “many mistakes” made in Iraq but applauds the general’s work. More »

General Petraeus appeared to be a mouthpiece for the White House in testimony that had no surprises and left many questions unanswered when he recommended no significant troop draw down from Iraq at least until summer, several analysts agree. Though he presented himself as just a soldier presenting facts, Petraeus is a politician as concerned with selling the war as winning it, Newsweek reports.  More »

David Petraeus told Congress today that the objectives of the troop surge “are in large measure being met” and said US forces could drop “to pre-surge levels” by mid-July. The top American commander in Iraq said he has recommended that force reductions begin later this month, with redeployments continuing through next year, the Washington Post reports. More »

The commander of US forces in Iraq, Gen. David Petraeus, wants to postpone a decision to significantly reduce troop levels there for another six months, reports the New York Times . The general, who is scheduled to begin testimony before Congress today, has told the president he is willing to withdraw one brigade—4,000 soldiers—as early as December, the Times reports. More »

President Bush will take his case for the unpopular Iraq war directly to the American people in a televised address Thursday. Bush vowed to “lay out a vision” following Monday’s report from Gen. David Petraeus, and asked Congress for patience. That virtue is scarce, however, with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid already declaring the surge a failure, Reuters reports. More »

Writing to US troops in a preview of his report to Congress next week, Gen. David Petraeus said political progress in Iraq has not matched the aspirations the US had hoped to attain with the surge. But he was quick to stress decreasing violence on the ground, the Washington Post reports, and aims to testify again in March. More »

Gen. David Petraeus will recommend holding troop levels in Iraq at the current level into  next year, but will offer to pull back one brigade, in a bow to congressional impatience, beginning in January, sources tell the New York Times. In his report to Congress next week, Petraeus will also discuss the possibility of a further drawdown, over a number of months, to a pre-surge level, but would like the ability to halt the withdrawal if conditions worsen in Iraq. More »

Harry Reid and the majority Democrats burst out of the vacation gates today with a damning Iraq scorecard, beating the policy-change drum a day after President Bush cited improvement while visiting Iraq, and ahead of Gen. David Petraeus’ supposedly positive surge report. The GAO report concluded Iraq had failed to meet 11 of 18 benchmarks, the New York Times reports, with virtually no political progress. More »

President Bush arrived in Sydney last night amid speculation he would reduce troop levels in Iraq, but his Australian counterpart dismissed any notion that his country would be withdrawing its forces. Prime Minister John Howard said the idea that Sydney could both pull its 550 troops and still make a significant contribution “begins to stretch credulity.” More »

Fewer US troops will be needed in Iraq if security conditions continue to improve, said President Bush today during a surprise visit to Iraq. The pronouncement came after meeting with Gen. David Petraeus, the US commander in Iraq, and US ambassador to Baghdad Ryan Crocker–both of whom will be testifying before Congress next week on the status of the Iraq war. More »

President Bush landed today in Anbar Province, just west of Baghdad, for a surprise trip in advance of the September 15 status briefing on Iraq. Bush will meet with President Nouri al-Maliki, local officials and US generals including David Petraeus, CNN reports. The president was on his way to a summit in Australia when he showed up unexpectedly. More »

In a sneak peak at next month's progress report on the troop surge, David Petraeus says sectarian violence and coalition troop deaths from roadside bombs are down while seizure of insurgents' weapons is up. "We say we have achieved progress," the commander of US forces in Iraq told the Australian in an interview published today. More »