Drawdown plans a Pentagon 'priority'

WASHINGTON, July 27 (UPI) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates told Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., that a plan to reduce the number of U.S. troops in Iraq is a Pentagon "priority."

Gates said in a letter to the New York Democrat he is personally involved in developing the contingency plans, The Washington Post reported Friday.

"Such planning is indeed taking place with my active involvement as well as that of senior military and civilian officials and our commanders in the field," Gates wrote. He said preparation for a troop reduction "is not only appropriate, but essential."

The letter follows a series of turbulent exchanges between the Democratic presidential frontrunner and Pentagon officials. Pentagon policy chief Eric Edelman said after Clinton requested a briefing on plans for troop withdrawals, that she was reinforcing "enemy propaganda that the United States will abandon its allies" by discussing a withdrawal timetable.

Clinton and Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., said after Edelman's letter were working on legislation to force the Pentagon to brief Congress on the plans for withdrawal.

"They're looking for any kind of briefing, report, answer -- whatever you want to call it -- from the Pentagon that this is happening," Clinton spokesman Philippe Reines told The Post.