Troop drawdown due to success

BAGHDAD, March 10 (UPI) -- A U.S. military official in Iraq is praising troops set to return to Fort Bragg, N.C., as part of the first planned drawdown of U.S. brigades from Iraq.

About 2,000 paratroopers from the 2nd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division sent to stabilize Iraq as part of President Bush's troops surge are set to be the first brigade to return to the United States. Military officials are praising the drawdown as evidence that the troop surge has been a success, the Multinational Forces-Iraq reported.

"On behalf of the men and women of Multinational Force-Iraq, I want to thank the 2nd Brigade for their service in Iraq, and for the sacrifices they made for the freedom we and all Iraqis hold so dear," Navy Rear Adm. Gregory Smith, Multinational Force-Iraq spokesman, said in a statement.

Smith says the redeployment is also a result of the growing capability of the Iraqi security forces in performing counterinsurgency operations and a growing ability to fight al-Qaida and other terrorists.

"Not only is the Iraqi security force becoming more capable -- as shown by the increasing quality and quantity of the operations it is conducting -- but more and more citizens' volunteer groups are working ever closer with their security forces and the coalition to deny terrorists safe havens and weapons."