(Washington, D.C.)  This week, a top American general on the ground in Iraq revealed that a significant withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq may begin by next spring.  On the same day, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld spoke in a similar tone, saying that the Iraqis should start taking on more tasks currently conducted by U.S. troops.

While it is encouraging that the Bush administration is now considering troop withdrawal, simply expressing "hopes" of withdrawal starting almost a year from now is not enough.  President Bush is urged to consider the Libertarian Party's Iraq Exit Strategy, which was released on June 29, 2005.  The comprehensive plan calls for withdrawal to begin immediately, with all troops removed from harm's way over a 12-month period.

The premise of the plan is to remove the common enemy of the foreign terrorists and Iraqi insurgents – American soldiers.  As the "security blanket" provided by the American presence is gradually and methodically removed, the Iraqi government will increase the volume and quality of training for its defense forces. 

"The stated goals of the Bush administration have been accomplished: There were no WMD stockpiles, Saddam Hussein has been captured and a new Iraqi government is in place.  It is past time to bring our troops home," stated Libertarian Party Director of Communications Shane Cory.

Cory continued by saying, "The invasion and occupation of Iraq was an unnecessary war with deadly consequences for nearly 2,000 American men and women as well as countless Iraqis.  While we can choose to dwell on the past improper actions of the Bush administration, it is far more beneficial to address the realities of the continued occupation of Iraq and work towards commonsense solutions that will remove our troops from harm's way."

The Libertarian Party's Iraq Exit strategy is available online at www.lp.org/plan.