U.S. on path to Iraqi withdrawal

BAGHDAD, Dec. 11 (UPI) -- U.S. military forces continue on a deliberate timeline to reduce their troop presence in Iraq by more than half by July 2011, U.S. military generals said.

Army Lt. Gen. Charles Jacoby, the commander of the U.S.-led Multinational Corps-Iraq, said his forces were on a "pretty deliberate, responsible drawdown timeline" to cut troops levels from 119,000 to 50,000 by July 2011, the U.S. Defense Department said.

Jacoby made his comments as U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates toured Baghdad in the wake of a spate of high-profile suicide operations that targeted government buildings earlier in the week.

U.S. military strategists have watched developments in Iraq closely as they make plans to pull combat forces out of the country by the end of 2011.

Gen. Ray Odierno, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, said he would consider a strong military presence in Iraq as the country prepares for parliamentary elections.

Iraqi law mandated a parliamentary election by the end of January. Simmering debates over the allocations of seats in Parliament and discussions over the type of balloting, however, prompted lawmakers to push the vote back to March 7.

Jacoby said whoever takes over his post in March would set the stage for the complete withdrawal of American forces by 2011.

"The plan exists to get us to zero, but to still remain interested and supportive and partnered with Iraq," he said.