WASHINGTON, Sept. 16 (UPI) -- Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., says U.S. troop levels in Iraq can be cut "a lot more" by the end of 2008 than the 100,000 goal set by Defense Secretary Robert Gates.
Speaking on "Fox News Sunday," the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said "you don't need anywhere near that many troops" if they are redeployed out of the primary line of fire "of this civil war" and put to work guarding the borders to prevent supplies being shipped in to militants and training Iraqis to defend themselves.
Biden, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for president, said continuing the Bush administration's strategy of propping up a strong central Iraqi government is futile.
"That will not happen in your lifetime. It will not happen. There is no possibility," Biden said.
Biden said promoting a decentralized federation of Kurds, Shiites and Sunnis would bring international support.
