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3,500 from Benning to leave Iraq in weeks ahead

BAGHDAD — About 3,500 American soldiers who were part of last summer’s troop “surge” are scheduled to leave Iraq in the coming weeks, the U.S. military said.

The soldiers, part of the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, will re-deploy to Fort Benning, Ga., according to a statement released late Monday. The U.S. sent some 30,000 additional troops into Iraq last summer to help stem growing violence.

Those troops, along with the rise of Sunni fighters who allied with the U.S. and began battling al-Qaida and a truce called by a key Shiite militia, were credited with a sharp decline in violence during the last 10 months.

The soldiers are part of the third of five “surge” brigades scheduled to re-deploy. The other two are expected to return to the U.S. by the end of July.

“The continued drawdown of surge brigades demonstrates continued progress in Iraq,” Brig. Gen. Dan Allyn said in the statement. “After July, commanders will assess our security posture for about 45 days and determine future force requirements based on these conditions-based assessments.”

The so-called “pause” in the further re-deployment of U.S. troops was pushed by Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, when he spoke before Congress last month.

Critics have called for a quicker withdrawal of American soldiers, but commanders on the ground insist the slowdown is needed so a sharp increase in violence is not seen when U.S. forces leave.