US troops could start withdrawing from Iraq this year as Iraqi forces take over security in the violence-wracked country, US Secretary of State Colin Powell said Wednesday. In an interview with National Public Radio, Powell was unable to say how quickly American forces might be able to pull out of the country or what their troop levels in Iraq would be at the end of 2005.
"But with the money we're putting into the growth of the new Iraqi army and national guard and police force, I believe that during 2005 they (the Iraqis) will be able to assume a greater burden," the outgoing chief US diplomat said.
He added that "with the (Iraqi) assumption of that greater burden, the burden on our troops should go down and we should start to see our numbers going in the other direction."
Some 150,000 US troops are currently in Iraq fighting a stubborn insurgency nearly two years after the American-led invasion to oust Saddam Hussein. This includes 12,000 soldiers added to boost security for this month's elections.
Powell could not say how quickly the Americans would be withdrawn.
"It's not possible right now to say that by the end of 2005, we'll be down to such and such a number," he said. "It really is dependent upon the situation."
"I cannot give you a timeline as to when they'll all be home," he added.
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