WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Senior U.S. military leaders say it would be "impractical" to reduce U.S. troop levels in Iraq further before the end of the year because of the logistics required in the redeployments, two military officials told CNN Thursday.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates is advising President Bush on troop levels in Iraq.
The assessment comes as President Bush is considering still-secret recommendations about troop levels from his top commander in Iraq, Gen. David Petraeus, as well as senior Pentagon officials including Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen.
The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, would not disclose the specific recommendations. They confirmed a consensus among senior military leaders that the soonest troop reductions in Iraq could be accomplished would be early in 2009 when a brigade from the 10th Mountain Division is scheduled to deploy to Iraq.
One option under consideration is sending the soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division to Afghanistan instead to provide reinforcements there.
The Army has identified units that could be available for Afghanistan but it would take two or three months from the time the decision is made to move them and assemble all the weaponry and equipment and ship it to Afghanistan, two Army officials said.
The officials said the troops would not need extensive additional training to switch from Iraq to Afghanistan, especially those earmarked to train Afghan forces.
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