Secretary Gates to discuss progress, drawdown in Baghdad
December 10th, 2009
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates arrived here Dec. 10 to meet with Iraqi and U.S. military leaders about continuing progress toward building Iraqi security forces and drawing down the U.S. force presence here to 50,000 by late August.
The visit, Secretary Gates' first since July, comes as the Iraqis have resolved election law issues and set a March 7 date for national elections, and amid a rash of violence that a senior defense official called an act of desperation by the greatly weakened al-Qaida remnants here.
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The visit, Secretary Gates' first since July, comes as the Iraqis have resolved election law issues and set a March 7 date for national elections, and amid a rash of violence that a senior defense official called an act of desperation by the greatly weakened al-Qaida remnants here.
more...