"It is the minimum we can ask for," al-Ojeili said.
A special commission on US policy in Iraq
will urge a pullback of some US troops but will not recommend a timetable for
withdrawing all US forces, an official familiar with the panel's deliberations
said Thursday.
The Iraq Study Group's report, to be released next Wednesday, will press for
a greater shift in responsibility for the country's security from American to
Iraqi forces. It will also indicate that the presence of US troops is part of
the problem in Iraq, said the official, who requested anonymity because the
panel's recommendations have not been made public.
Bush has steadfastly refused to announce a timeline for a troop pullout,
saying that such a move would play into the hands of insurgents.
In violence on Thursday, the US military reported the deaths of two soldiers,
and Iraqi officials said 47 people had been killed, including 37 bodies found
dumped in various regions of the country.
