Blair To Announce Iraq Troop Withdrawal

Prime Minister Tony Blair is expected to announce a timetable for the withdrawal of nearly half of the British troops in Iraq, British media are reporting.

Blair is expected to make the announcement today.

The unconfirmed reports from news outlets including the BBC and "The Sun" newspaper on February 20 said Blair is expected to tell the British parliament that about 1,500 British troops could start to leave Iraq in the coming weeks.

The reports say an additional 1,500 British troops could be withdrawn by the end of this year, if security conditions permit.

Britain currently has some 7,100 troops in Iraq.

A spokesman for the White House National Security Council, Gordon Johndroe, said U.S. President George W. Bush views the British pullout as a "sign of success" in stabilizing Iraq.

Johndroe said Washington is pleased that conditions have improved sufficiently in the southern city of Al-Basrah to allow British forces to transfer more security control to Iraqis.

Meanwhile, Denmark is also expected to announce a timetable for the withdrawal of its 470 troops from Iraq, according to Danish media.

Australian Prime Minister John Howard said the British withdrawal does not mean Australia will reduce its 550 troops in Iraq.

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