The UNITED STATES PRESIDENT, GEORGE W BUSH, has said that he will adopt a proposal by the top US commander in Iraq, David Petraeus, to suspend further AMERICAN troop withdrawals from Iraq beyond July.

"General Petraeus has reported that security conditions have improved enough to withdraw all five surge brigades by the end of July. That means that by July 31st, the number of US combat brigades in Iraq will be down by 25 percent from last year. Beyond that, General Petraeus says he'll need time to consolidate his forces and assess how this reduced American presence will affect conditions on the ground before making measured recommendations on further reductions. And I've told him he'll have all the time he needs."

The president is also expected to cut the tours of duty by Army combat troops in Iraq to 12 months from 15 in an effort to alleviate the tremendous stress on the military.

The two decisions will set the course for U.S. policy in Iraq through the autumn and perhaps for the rest of Bush's presidency.

Bush injected the five brigades into Iraq in January last year in a plan called a "surge" to quell violence.
When the movement finishes in July, the five brigades are due to go back to the US.

But the Bush administration remains uncommitted on further withdrawal and Petraeus' proposal further illustrated the position.

In effect, it means there will be 140 thousand AMERICAN troops in Iraq by late July.