What can be done to speed up troop withdrawal from Iraq?
The sooner Iraqi security forces are trained, equipped, and able to operate independently, the sooner U.S. troops can leave. Greater Sunni Arab participation in the Iraqi government would also help undercut Sunni support for the insurgency and strengthen the government, making it possible to withdraw U.S. troops sooner. It is not yet clear exactly when U.S. troops can withdraw without risking a setback to Iraq’s security and U.S. national interests. Combat troops will probably be needed for at least three more years, in gradually declining numbers, with advisers needed much longer to help train and support the Iraqi security forces.
