Drawdown in Iraq on schedule, Odierno says
 By Lisa Daniel ,
  100722odierno
 WASHINGTON (July 22, 2010) — The military is meeting its drawdown goals in  Iraq, and there’ll be plenty of troops left until the end of 2011 to  help Iraq become fully independent, the commanding general of U.S. forces in Iraq said July 21.  “I feel very comfortable that we will be at 50,000, probably by the last  week of August,” Gen. Raymond T. Odierno said during a Defense  Writers Group breakfast here followed by a Pentagon press briefing.  Troop strength probably will stay around 50,000 through next summer,  even though all U.S. forces are to be out of Iraq by Dec. 31, 2011, he  said.  With 70,000 troops still in Iraq – down from 145,000 in January 2009 -  the military is on schedule to meet President Barack Obama’s September  drawdown goals, Odierno said. And, the general said, his command also is  ahead of schedule in drawing down its equipment. Forty thousand wheeled  vehicles have left the country – half bound for Afghanistan – along with 1.2  million other pieces of equipment, accounting for 95  percent of the equipment drawdown goal.  At the height of the troop surge in 2007, the military had 608  facilities in Iraq, and now has 112, Odierno said. The command is on  track to meet its goal of having 94 facilities in Iraq by September.  “This is a significant interagency, interservice endeavor,” Odierno  said, adding that it is the largest U.S. military redeployment since the  end of the Vietnam War. “It speaks to the capacity and capability of  our leaders” in Iraq that the drawdown is on track.  The remainder of U.S. military assets planned for Iraq after September,  Odierno said, will be enough to continue the mission of advising,  assisting and training, and also support any lingering security  challenges even if there is an uptick in violence. The mission now is  transforming to support the State Department’s increasing presence in  Iraq, he said, noting he made the trip from Baghdad to Washington to  discuss the plan further.  The main challenges left for Iraq’s independence are political unity and  financial solvency, the general said. Representatives of Iraq’s four  major political groups finished very close in last March’s national  elections, making negotiations over leadership difficult.  The new government needs to reflect the wishes of voters and be  inclusive of all of Iraq’s ethnic groups, Odierno said. He added that  the Kurdish region of northern Iraq remains the most tenuous and the  northern city of Kirkuk probably will be the last place U.S. troops  depart.  “We clearly want a unity government,” the general said, “and I think  there is no choice in that. To be successful, Iraq must have a unity  government.”  Iraq is challenged by outside intervention in its political progress,  especially from Iran, Odierno said. He added that Iran continues to  train insurgent groups inside Iraq.  Iraq also has to improve its economy, Odierno said. About 95 percent of  its revenue comes from oil, but it will take Iraq another three  to five years to produce enough oil to enable the country to become  financially solvent.  Meanwhile, Iraqi officials are frustrated because there hasn’t been more  outside investment in the country, Odierno said. However, more foreign  investment in Iraq will occur, as Iraq’s legal system solidifies.  Odierno said it is important for the United States to continue to support Iraq even after all U.S. troops leave there.  “It’s in our best interest that we continue to support them,” the  general said. “We could have a great outcome” of stability in the Middle  East, and a partnership with a key player.