Bush to trim U.S. troops in Iraq by 8,000

U.S. President George W. Bush on Tuesday announced a plan to withdraw about 8,000 U.S. troops from Iraq by February and to beef up the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan.
Bush said in a speech on Tuesday morning that improving conditions in Iraq will allow a "quiet surge" of American troops to Afghanistan, where there has been a resurgence of the Taliban and a growth in violence.
The troop cut -- smaller than many had expected due to a desire not to jeopardize recent security gains made in Iraq -- will mark one of Bush's final decisions on a war that has defined his presidency.
Speaking at the National Defense University in Washington, Bush said he is making the move based on a recommendation from top military officers, including Gen. David Petraeus, the highest-ranking U.S. military officer in Baghdad.