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Defense chief: Iraq drawdown could begin this year

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Tuesday that the United States could start withdrawing troops from Iraq later this year -- "if circumstances on the ground permit."

Gates made the remark in answer to questioning from Sen. Robert Byrd, D-West Virginia, during a hearing before the Senate Committee on Armed Services.

Gates was asked how much longer troops would remain deployed in Iraq before the United States begins to draw them down.

"It's hard to make any kind of a real prediction, especially where our adversaries have a vote," Gates said.

However, he said, "I would hope we would be able to begin drawing down our troops later this year" -- if a "plan to quiet Baghdad is successful," Iraqis accept "their responsibilities" and assume "leadership," and they also carry out "political reconciliation."

The hearings were briefly disrupted by protesters from Code Pink, a group that opposes the Iraq war.

Gates disputes surge is 'last chance'

Gates also said President Bush's "surge" plan to send an additional 21,500 troops into Baghdad and the insurgent-stricken Anbar province is "not the last chance" in Iraq.

Many observers agree there would be "serious consequences for this country and for the region were we to leave Iraq in chaos," Gates told the panel.

The defense chief responded to questions and remarks from Sen. John Warner, R-Virginia, who cited quotes calling the operation "the last chance" or "the last, best chance." (Watch Warner press Gates on Iraq )

"To me, that type of rhetoric is inviting -- almost it's a timetable for the Baghdad operation. If it doesn't succeed, it was our last chance," Warner said.

Warner is a sponsor -- along with the committee's Democratic chairman, Sen. Carl Levin of Michigan -- of a Senate resolution that opposes the president's new security plan.

The Senate was scheduled to debate and vote on the resolution this week, but Republican senators late Monday succeeded in blocking the resolution from coming to the floor by winning a procedural vote.

Warner asked whether the Bush administration is "thinking beyond the Baghdad operation" to develop other ways to help the Iraqi government in case the plan doesn't meet its goals.

Gates said he is thinking about alternatives.

"I think that if this operation were not to succeed -- and we clearly are hoping it will succeed, planning for it to succeed, allocating the resources for it to succeed -- but I would tell you that I think I would be irresponsible if I weren't thinking about what the alternatives might be if that didn't happen. But we, at this point, are planning for its success," Gates said.

Major increase in military spending sought

Gates and Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, appeared before the committee to defend the administration's $481.4 billion budget for the Pentagon in fiscal year 2008, which begins in October, as well as the supplemental request for funds for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan -- $93.4 billion for 2007 and $141.7 billion in 2008. (Watch what is in the president's budget )

The requests -- part of the president's $2.9 trillion budget released Monday -- would mark a major boost in defense spending. (Interactive: Where the money in president's budget would go)

Democratic lawmakers -- who took over control of Congress in January -- have vowed to scrutinize the president's budget requests closely, and a few lawmakers such as Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wisconsin, have argued to cut funding for the Iraq war. (Funding the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan)

Pace: Roadside bombs doubled in last year

Pace said number of roadside bombs placed in Iraq "has doubled over the course of the last year" and casualties from them haven't dropped despite strides in countering them.

Pace was asked about the status of the insurgents' weaponry, given Saturday's market attack in Baghdad that killed 128 people.

Pace said the military has responded well to these explosive devices, the commonly used insurgent method of attack.

"The equipment that we have provided, thanks to the Congress, to our troops, plus the tactics, techniques and procedures that we use against them, plus the jammers and the like that we provide technology-wise, has resulted in much fewer of those explosions impacting or having casualties against our troops," Pace said.

However, he said, "the increase in the number, despite the decrease in their effectiveness" has led to "a sustained level of casualties from IEDs," using the acronym for improvised explosive devices.

"The basic material for an IED is ammunition," he said, and "the amount of ammunition available is incredible."

"So far, we have cleared 430,000 tons of ammunition from over 15,000 sites in Iraq."

Africa command announced

Gates also announced that the administration will create a new military command for the continent of Africa, which will combine operational responsibilities current divided between three combat commands. (Full story)

Gates said that the current arrangement -- devised during the Cold War era -- is outdated.

Committee approves Casey, Fallon

Also Tuesday, the committee voted 14-3 to approve the nomination of Gen. George Casey as the Army's chief of staff.

Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, who had been critical of Casey's judgment as the top U.S. military commander in Iraq, was among the panel's lawmakers who voted no.

The other no votes were cast by Sens. John Ensign of Nevada and Saxby Chambliss of Georgia -- both Republicans.

The nomination of Adm. William Fallon to be the new head of Central Command was approved by 16-0 vote.

The record will be kept open for others on the committee who weren't at the hearing to cast votes.

The nominations now go to the full Senate for approval.

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