Iraq a ‘Success,’ Withdrawal Plan Unlikely to Change: Gates

By Dan De Luce | AFP

WASHINGTON (AFP) – Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Sunday touted military “success” in Iraq and said it was unlikely that conditions would force a change in plans to withdraw most US troops within 18 months.

Asked if the United States will have achieved victory when it pulls out of Iraq, Gates said “we have had a significant success (on) the military side,” while acknowledging “the political side is still a work in progress in Iraq.”

“Frankly, I think before you start using terms like ‘won’ or ‘lost’ or ‘victory’ or ‘defeat,’ those are the kinds of things that I think historians have to judge,” he told NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

President Barack Obama on Friday ordered an end to US combat operations in Iraq by August 31, 2010, saying a force of 35,000-50,000 would remain through 2011 — down from the current 142,000-strong force.

The residual force would stay in Iraq under a new mission until the end of 2011, when all US troops are required to leave under an agreement between Baghdad and Washington.

The US defense chief said he did not expect the scheduled drawdown to change.

“I would characterize the likelihood of significant adjustments to this plan as fairly remote,” said Gates …

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