The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Washington

US Senator John Warner, an influential Republican on military affairs, urged President George W. Bush on Thursday to start a limited withdrawal of US troops from Iraq by Christmas.

The move would send a signal to the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki and regional nations that the US commitment to Iraq is not open ended, said Warner, who returned recently from Iraq.

"I say to the president, respectfully, pick whatever number you wish," Warner told reporters. Warner said he recognised that US forces "are gaining momentum" in places like Baghdad and the western province of Anbar. "You do not want to lose the momentum, but certainly in 160,000-plus, say, 5,000 could begin to redeploy and be home to their families and loved ones no later than Christmas of this year," he said. There are currently some 162,000 US troops in Iraq, according to Pentagon figures.

Echoing what Bush said on January 10 when the president announced a "surge" of 30,000 extra US troops in Iraq, Warner said the US military presence was not an open-ended commitment

He emphasised that he "is not in any way trying to pull the rug out from under the troops," and that he "firmly" supports the goals that Bush has set in both Iraq and the region. "I don't, for a minute, advocate any rapid pull-out or any other type of actions of that nature," said Warner, adding that he has voted against proposals for a withdrawal timetable. Warner said he urged Bush to "take into consideration the need to send a sharp and clear message throughout the region, to the United States, and one that people can understand.

"I think no clearer form of that than if the president were to announce on (September 15) that, in consultation with our senior military commanders, he's decided to initiate the first step in a withdrawal of our forces." General David Petraeus, the US military commander in Iraq, is to deliver a much-anticipated progress report on the war to the US Congress by September 15.

Warner, a former secretary of the navy, referred to the new US intelligence estimate, out Thursday, which says that it will take up to 12 months for any possible political reconciliation in Iraq.

"We simply cannot, as a nation, stand and put our troops at continuous risk of loss of life and limb without beginning to take some decisive action which will get everybody's atention," Warner said. He added: "I really firmly believe the Iraqi government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Maliki, have let our troops down."