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US to downscale military presence in Iraq soon: Bush
Washington, Apr 13: The United States began to downscale its military presence in the Gulf as President George W Bush welcomed the demise of Saddam Hussein`s
Washington, Apr 13: The United States began to downscale its military presence in the Gulf as President George W Bush welcomed the demise of Saddam Hussein`s "regime of fear."
The USS Abraham Lincoln battle group left the Gulf as part of a progressive US naval withdrawal from the region, US Vice Admiral Timothy Keating said yesterday from Bahrain.
"Air targets are decreasing as the campaign reaches a certain phase of completion. It is likely that we will be able to pull some assets, and not just naval assets, air force, marines and army assets out of the theatre," Keating said. While the Carrier Nimitz moved in from the Gulf of Oman, its sisters, the Kitty Hawk, constellation and Theodore Roosevelt battle groups, may also leave the region shortly in a gradual scaling down of forces, he added.
The US military deployed five of its aircraft carriers for the war against Iraq, three to the Gulf and two to the Mediterranean. They and their accompanying naval escorts have launched more than 800 Tomahawk cruise missiles and provided the base for more than 7,000 sorties by US and British warplanes during the conflict. Amid antiwar protests, US President George W Bush welcomed the downfall of the Iraqi leader.
"As Saddam`s regime of fear is brought to an end, the people of Iraq are revealing the true hopes they have always held," Bush said in his weekly radio address to the nation.
Meantime, the US Congress gave final approval yesterday to a bill authorising nearly 80 billion dollars to finance the war in Iraq and the reconstruction of the shattered country. Bureau Report
"Air targets are decreasing as the campaign reaches a certain phase of completion. It is likely that we will be able to pull some assets, and not just naval assets, air force, marines and army assets out of the theatre," Keating said. While the Carrier Nimitz moved in from the Gulf of Oman, its sisters, the Kitty Hawk, constellation and Theodore Roosevelt battle groups, may also leave the region shortly in a gradual scaling down of forces, he added.
The US military deployed five of its aircraft carriers for the war against Iraq, three to the Gulf and two to the Mediterranean. They and their accompanying naval escorts have launched more than 800 Tomahawk cruise missiles and provided the base for more than 7,000 sorties by US and British warplanes during the conflict. Amid antiwar protests, US President George W Bush welcomed the downfall of the Iraqi leader.
"As Saddam`s regime of fear is brought to an end, the people of Iraq are revealing the true hopes they have always held," Bush said in his weekly radio address to the nation.
Meantime, the US Congress gave final approval yesterday to a bill authorising nearly 80 billion dollars to finance the war in Iraq and the reconstruction of the shattered country. Bureau Report