WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said Wednesday that if the current U.S. military strategy showed signs of success by autumn, the Pentagon may be able to reduce the number of U.S. forces in Iraq.
In Senate testimony, Gates acknowledged that his position apparently contradicted comments by the No. 2 military commander in Iraq, Army Lt. Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, who has recommended that the troop buildup continue into 2008.
"I think if we see some very positive progress and it looks like things are headed in the right direction, then that's the point at which I think we can begin to consider reducing some of these forces," Gates said.
Gates said he opposed a new Democratic proposal to fund the war through July, and a White House spokesman said President Bush would veto such a measure.
But Gates held firm against suggestions that the troop buildup be extended into 2008, saying a review in September would help determine future steps. Throughout his testimony to the Senate Appropriations Committee's defense subcommittee, Gates sounded a bipartisan tone and sought to accommodate Republicans and Democrats.
Under questioning from Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Gates said he believed there would be a long-term U.S. presence in the Middle East. But he emphasized that the size of the American force in Iraq needed to be acceptable to both parties.
"My view would be that it's very likely the United States will be required to have some level of troop presence in Iraq for some period of time," Gates said. "But it has to be at a level, in my view, that can attract bipartisan support."
At a news conference later in the day, he indicated that the eventual U.S. troop level could be as low as 25,000 and said he would like to see a bipartisan accord similar to that on Soviet containment during the Cold War. The current troop level is 146,000.
Gates said he believed there could be broad agreement on two points: the necessity of defending the United States overseas and the need to keep a small number of troops in Iraq to preserve stability.
"Whether that's 25,000 troops or what that number is -- I have no idea," Gates said. "My personal view is this would ... have a stabilizing effect, and I think it's something that we need to talk about."
In his testimony, Gates repeatedly emphasized that the planned evaluation of the Bush administration's new strategy in September was not "preordained." The assessment, he suggested, would provide a determination of whether to change strategies, continue the buildup or reduce forces.
