U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., says he believes at least one-third of U.S. troops will be out of Iraq by next year’s mid-term elections. By then, he told NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Iraq will be prepared to defend itself or Iraqi politicians will have failed at creating political unity. “If they refuse to put their political pieces together, if they don’t make those compromises,” said Levin, “it seems to me it’s obvious that we’re going to have to consider that timetable for reduction and withdrawal.” Levin said the United States is sending the wrong message to Iraqis by saying “we’re there as long as we are needed.” “If they’re not willing to make the compromises that are so necessary in order to come up with a political document that they all can agree to,” he said, “then our military presence, it seems to me, is not going to do the trick.” © Copyright 2005 by United Press International

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