By Xinhua
Baghdad : Iraq’s national security advisor said Wednesday the government expects the number of foreign troops in the country to drop to 100,000 by the end of 2008 should its forces be ready to take over.
“By the end of next year we expect the number of multinational troops could be less than 100,000,” Muwafaq al-Rubaie told a news conference.
“This cut depends on the levels of the security threat that Iraq faces, whether inside or in the region, and the readiness of our security forces,” Rubaie explained.
Baghdad Tuesday welcomed the testimony made Monday by the US top commander in Iraq General David Petraeus to the US Congress.
He has suggested in his testimony that the US presence in Iraq should reach the pre-surge level by next July, which means a cut of about 30,000.
Petraeus also said the US forces reduction would continue after next summer, but said it would be premature to make recommendations now on the pace of such cuts.