Drawdown begins in Diyala - AP, 17 Oct.

Commanders in Iraq have decided to begin the drawdown of U.S. forces in volatile Diyala province, The Associated Press has learned.

Instead of replacing the 3rd Brigade of the 1st Cavalry Division, which is leaving in December, soldiers from another brigade in Salahuddin province next door will expand into Diyala, thereby broadening its area of responsibility, several officials said Tuesday.

In this way, the number of Army ground combat brigades in Iraq will fall from 20 to 19, marking the start of what President Bush has billed as a shift in the American military mission away from fighting the insurgency toward more support functions like training and advising Iraqi security forces ...