Petraeus Wary on Troop Cuts

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.

Other senior military officers, including Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Peter Pace, favor a faster withdrawal of the 30,000 troops added during the surge, the Times reports.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates is said to have been privately pushing for  some troops to come home for Christmas. (More Iraq stories.)