U.S. Withdrawal on Schedule, General Says

[sparklingblue]

BAGHDAD — Gen. Ray Odierno met President Obama this week, delivering what a White House spokesman described as a “positive assessment” of the situation in Iraq and the prospects for American withdrawal. On Thursday, General Odierno seemed to make it official, releasing a letter to United States troops here that set Sept. 1 as a milestone.

“The time is right; the Iraqi Security Forces are ready to assume full responsibility for their internal defense,” he wrote in the letter dated June 1.

There are fewer than 90,000 American troops still in Iraq. By the end of the summer the number will fall to 50,000. Given the troops’ low profile in Iraqi cities since last summer, the shift may not be all that tangible to residents here. But as has often been the case in Iraq, dates take on a political significance in the United States, and General Odierno’s letter was perhaps the clearest sign yet that, however unsettled Iraq’s deadlocked politics may remain, the withdrawal will proceed on schedule.

http://atwar.blogs.nytimes.com/

also on the website there is a letter from the gernal can not post it on here good read tho

[santafeventures]

BAGHDAD — Gen. Ray Odierno met President Obama this week, delivering what a White House spokesman described as a “positive assessment” of the situation in Iraq and the prospects for American withdrawal. On Thursday, General Odierno seemed to make it official, releasing a letter to United States troops here that set Sept. 1 as a milestone.

“The time is right; the Iraqi Security Forces are ready to assume full responsibility for their internal defense,” he wrote in the letter dated June 1.

There are fewer than 90,000 American troops still in Iraq. By the end of the summer the number will fall to 50,000. Given the troops’ low profile in Iraqi cities since last summer, the shift may not be all that tangible to residents here. But as has often been the case in Iraq, dates take on a political significance in the United States, and General Odierno’s letter was perhaps the clearest sign yet that, however unsettled Iraq’s deadlocked politics may remain, the withdrawal will proceed on schedule.

http://atwar.blogs.nytimes.com/

also on the website there is a letter from the gernal can not post it on here good read tho

Thank you for the post! The letter was a very good read.