Gen. John Abizaid says that more than 140,000 U.S. troops will likely be needed through next spring to suppress sectarian violence and secure Baghdad. "I think that this level probably will have to be sustained through the spring, and then we'll re-evaluate," Abizaid told defense reporters in Baghdad. Pentagon officials have said there are now 147,000 troops in Iraq due to an overlap of units rotating in and out.
Abizaid said six months ago he thought U.S. forces levels would be down by a couple of brigades by now, but he said that was put off by a surge of sectarian violence and the it took for an Iraqi government to form. The situation in Baghdad is "slightly better" since U.S. troops were brought into the capital from other parts of the country, but it will take a couple of months to clarify things militarily, he said.
Maintaining more than 140,000 troops in Iraq represents a significant jump in U.S. force levels, which had gone down to as low as 127,000 in June. Abizaid said he has not asked for more U.S. ground troops because it was important for Iraqi military forces take more responsibility for operations.
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