Georgian conflict could affect U.S. plans in Iraq

The sharp reduction in violence in Iraq in recent months has led many at the Pentagon to believe that Petraeus will call for additional troop reductions by the end of the year. Adm. Michael G. Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said after a visit to Iraq in July that he expected to be able to recommend a resumption of withdrawals next month.

The rising violence in Afghanistan has also put pressure on military planners to withdraw troops from Iraq, since significant increases in Afghan forces cannot occur without them. According to Pentagon officials, Mullen's staff is weighing a recommendation to send the next unit scheduled to deploy to Iraq -- the 2nd Brigade of the Army's 4th Infantry Division -- to Afghanistan instead, perhaps as early as December.

One of the military officials said that although the Georgian contingent was the size of about half a U.S. brigade, it was unlikely that its departure would derail plans to send the U.S. brigade to Afghanistan.

But the official said that the Georgian mission along the border had begun to have some impact and that the withdrawal schedule of smaller U.S. units could be affected, because it is unlikely another allied military would take up the task.

In addition to the border mission, Georgian troops were responsible for providing security to the U.N. mission in Iraq.

"They were beginning to establish some real capability along the border to help ramp up [Iraqi security forces] and slow down the Iranian flows of illegal arms across the border," the official said.

The departure of the Georgians and the continued withdrawal of British and Polish troops has drastically reduced the number of non-U.S. foreign troops available to Petraeus. Britain maintains 4,100 troops in Iraq, the largest contingent after the U.S., but British Prime Minister Gordon Brown outlined a plan last month that would resume withdrawals over the next year to where few would remain in southern Iraq.

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peter.spiegel@latimes.com

Times staff writer Julian E. Barnes contributed to this report.