More U.S. troops in Iraq still than before Surge began

Even though the surge has apparently ended U.S. troop levels are still above the levels when the surge started. It remains to be seen if Bush withdraws many more before he leaves office. Even Obama's timetable is a year and a half in length and some of the troops he withdraws he intends to send to Afghanistan. The U.S. public can look forward to more expense and more casualties if Obama wins and of course more of the same if McCain wins.


The U.S. military had 20 combat brigades in Iraq at its peak in 2007, with troop levels around 160,000-170,000.The current number is well above the 130,000 troops in Iraq when Bush ordered the deployment in January 2007. The Pentagon said last February it expected 140,000 troops to be in Iraq once the five brigade drawdown had finished.