Petraeus eyes troop reduction in Iraq

CAPITOL HILL (AP) — General David Petraeus saye he's recommended to President Bush that a drawdown of U.S. troops from Iraq begin this month with a unit from California.

Petraeus told the House Foreign Affairs and House Armed Services committees the initial departure involves the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit based at Camp Pendleton, California. He's also recommended redeploying up to 4,000 members of an unspecified Army Brigade in December.

Petraeus told panel members that the extra 30,000 troops sent to Iraq in the so-called surge should be out by next July. The combat force includes five Army brigades and two Marine infantry battalions.

And he said he foresees even deeper troop cuts beyond July 2008 — but he recommended that Bush wait until March 2008 to decide when to go below a troop level of 130,000.