EON

Washington (EON) – The United States President George W. Bush is expected to announce a plan to cut troop levels in Iraq by 30,000 by mid 2008 sparking a withdrawal out of Iraq.

He will be addressing the nation later in the week according to White House officials and is expected to make the confirmed announcement of the troop withdrawal from Iraq.

Bush is expected to give the speech on the withdrawal of troops from Iraq on Thursday. This will come after the Iraq status report which is due by the White House by Friday.

The speech is going to be an endorsement by Bush of reducing troop numbers in Iraq. This is along the same lines as the recommendation by Gen. David Petraeus.

Bush is not expected to change the course in Iraq or set a timetable to fully withdraw. Instead he is going to start the process at least of bringing the troops home.

This may be an attempt to try and ease tension between Congress and Bush. Petraeus stated that the troops could begin to start coming home in a matter of weeks.