Iraq panel to recommend pullout of US troops by '08

Washington, Dec 1 (UNI) The bipartisan Iraq Study Group (ISG) plans to recommend the US government to withdraw nearly all US combat units from Iraq by early 2008, while leaving behind troops to train, advise and support the Iraqis, setting the first goal for a major drawdown of US forces, reports Washington Post.

The daily quoting sources ''familiar with the proposal'' says, the commission plan would shift the US mission in Iraq to a secondary role as the fragile Baghdad government and its security forces take the lead role in fighting the Sunni insurgency as they try to halt sectarian violence.

As part of major changes in the US presence, sources said, the plan recommends embedding US soldiers directly in Iraqi security units starting as early as next month to improve leadership and effectiveness.

The daily says the call to pull out combat brigades by early 2008 would be more of a conditional goal than a firm timetable.

It says panel members concluded that it is vital to set a target to put pressure on Iraqi leaders to do more to take up the responsibility of their country's security.

However, democrats, who captured control of both houses of Congress in last month's midterm elections, including some Republicans have pushed strongly for a timetable for withdrawing US troops from Iraq. But President Bush had firmly resisted such demands, warning that it would amount to surrender and could destabilise Iraq even further.

Addressing a news conference yesterday after a summit with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in Amman, Jordan, Bush seemed to douse the idea of withdrawal in response to the reports about the Iraqi Study Group's recommendations.

''This business about graceful exit just simply has no realism to it whatsoever,''Bush said.

Mentionably, the ISG is headed by the former Secretary of States James Baker.

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