Bush said lower violence in Iraq a success

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 (UPI) -- Progress in Iraq remains tenuous, but gains, such as the reduction in violence, indicate a "degree of durability," U.S. President George Bush said Tuesday.

Reduced levels of violence have been sustained for several months, Bush said in a speech at the National Defense University.

U.S. Army Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. military commander in Iraq, and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker "report that there now appears to be a 'degree of durability' to the gains we have made," Bush said.

"Here is the bottom line: While the enemy in Iraq is still dangerous, we have seized the offensive, and Iraqi forces are becoming increasingly capable of leading and winning the fight," he said.

Because of this, the United States has been able to carry out a policy of "return on success," by reducing the number of U.S. combat forces in Iraq as ground conditions improve.

Bush announced a plan to redeploy about 8,000 U.S. military personnel during the next several months. Expected to be rotated out and not replaced in Iraq include a U.S. Marines battalion and an Army combat brigade, as well as combat support personnel.

He also noted that all combat personnel sent to Iraq as part of the 2007 surge have been rotated back to the United States.

"Another aspect of our return on success policy is reduced combat tours in Iraq," he said, explaining that troops began deploying for 12-month tours instead of 15-month tours.

"This change will ease the burden on our forces," he said, "and I think more importantly, make life easier for the military families that support them."