No Increase in Troop Level, Military Source Says

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20, 2006 — -- There are no plans for a short-term increase in U.S. troop levels in Iraq, despite rumors that American forces could be temporarily boosted by as many as 20,000, a highly placed military source told ABC News.

"We are stretched pretty thin," the source said.

There are meetings all over town this week --- on Capitol Hill, in the White House, and at the Pentagon --- concerning the future course of U.S. military activity in Iraq.

Speculation is rife concerning buildups, drawdowns or even withdrawal; the fact is, no hard-and-fast decisions appear to have been made.

Recent newspaper reports that troop strength would be temporarily boosted by 20,000 were dismissed today by Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman as "wild speculation."

Gen. John Abizaid told the Senate Armed Services Committee last week that such an increase would unlikely do much good, would face opposition from the Iraqi government, and would not be sustainable.

The temporary troop buildup was said to have been a recommendation from a study group appointed by Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Peter Pace to review Iraq policy.

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One of the colonels involved in the review has told associates that the buildup story "does not accurately describe the group's work."

The study group is made up of 16 midlevel military commanders who have recently returned from Iraq, including Cols. Peter Monsoor and H.R. McMaster.

At the Pentagon, this group is known informally as "the group without a name." It has had daily meetings since mid-September, and has met with the Joint Chiefs of Staff twice a week.

Whitman told reporters today that the group was not producing a formal report and was not making recommendations on overall strategy. Instead, the group has been set up "to generate strategic dialogue for the joint chiefs."

The highly placed military source who discussed planning with ABC News said that based on conditions on the ground, the Pentagon hoped to be able to reduce the number of U.S. forces in Iraq, beginning possibly as early as April.