US | Iraq Gates Predicts Steady Iraq Withdrawals If security gains hold, defense chief predicts 100K troops by Jan '09 By Nick McMaster Posted Dec 21, 2007 3:17 PM CST Copied Defense Secretary Robert Gates, left, accompanied by Joint Chiefs Vice Chairman Gen. James Cartwright, gestures during a news conference at the Pentagon, Friday, Dec. 21, 2007. (AP Photo/Heesson Yim) (Associated Press) Defense Secretary Robert Gates said today the US is on track to have 100,000 troops, or 10 brigades, in Iraq by the end of the Bush administration, the Chicago Tribune reports. Recent security gains in Iraq have allowed Gen. David Petraeus to begin to enact his plan of removing one brigade a month from the current level of 158,000. If security in Iraq holds, Gates said, “that would bring us down by the end of the administration to about 10 brigade combat teams.” He also criticized the Democratic-led Congress for passing only a stopgap measure of $70 billion in war funds, half of what President Bush asked for. “It requires us to make short-term plans and short-term solutions," Gates said. Read These Next Viking Cruises likes to say no. It's paid off. Angel Reese is in hot water with her own team. A pastor's dream factored in the discovery of hiker's remains. Two juveniles have been charged with killing a DC intern. Report an error