Washington recently announced plans to cut American troops there, having already shrunk their numbers to about 100,000 from more than 300,000 a little more than a decade ago.

Its proposals mark the first time that the Bush Administration has agreed to cut troops and aircraft in the conventional arms talks, which began in March.

To make the additional budget reductions, the Pentagon is planning to cut troops and weapon systems.

It cuts troops off from each other.

Iraq must convince Congress that it's moving in the right direction, otherwise mounting pressure to cut troops and money will grow.

And there have been pledges to cut Soviet troops in Mongolia and in other areas adjacent to China by as many as 300,000 men.

The progress on strategic arms came as the two sides made headway on cutting American and Soviet troops in Europe and reducing chemical weapons.

Those talks, which began in 1973, focused on cutting troops in central Europe.

In a separate action, the House defeated, 116 to 307, an amendment to cut American troops in Europe, from 100,000 to 25,000, over three years.

That argument assumes Moscow is reluctant to cut its tanks and troops.