August 24, 2007 (LPAC) - "The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Gen. Peter Pace) is expected to advise President Bush to reduce the U.S. force in Iraq next year by almost half, potentially creating a rift with top White House officials and other military commanders over the course of the war." This comes from Julian Barnes and Peter Spiegel at the LA Times. This credible report comes one day after Sen. John Warner defied the Administrations request that there be no comment on Iraq until after Gen. Petraeus' report in September, by calling on Bush to announce a phased withdrawal in September. (see Senator Warner's announcement). Sources in the Senate told EIR that this was the speech which Warner had originally planned to give on July 4, but held back under massive pressure form the Administration.

Ironically, Gen. Pace was not renominated by Bush for a second term, and leaves at the end of September.