Officials: No Iraq troop cuts before 2009

WASHINGTON, Sept. 5 (UPI) -- It will be 2009 before U.S. troop levels can be reduced in Iraq because of logistics involved in redeployment, military officials say.

U.S. President George Bush is reportedly considering secret recommendations about troop levels from U.S. Army Gen. David Petraeus, the top commander in Iraq, and others.

Two military officials told CNN it would be "impractical" to reduce troop levels further before the end of the year. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the officials wouldn't disclose specific recommendations.

But they confirmed a consensus among military leaders that the soonest troop reductions could be accomplished would be early in 2009 when a brigade from the 10th Mountain Division, scheduled to deploy to Iraq, could go to Afghanistan instead, CNN said.