A change of mission that interrupts that synchronization would place security improvements at risk.
But at the Pentagon today, a senior Defense Department official said, "There are no plans to put greater forces on the ground right now beyond what has been authorized, unless there is a change of mission or a new mission".
While stopping short of support for a firm deadline to withdraw troops, he has proposed putting into law the recommendations of the Iraq Study Group, which called for a change of mission.
Although no decisions had been made and no new orders issued, senior Pentagon officials said the 101st Airborne Division could receive a significant change of mission as a result of Turkey's refusal.
He is opposed to the fixed withdrawal date sought by many Democrats but has bucked the administration by pushing for a change of mission in Iraq and the formal adoption of the recommendations put forward by the Iraq Study Group.
Mr. Brown told Parliament that Britain planned a "fundamental change of mission" at the turn of the year for the 4,100 troops it has in its Iraq contingent, the second largest group of foreign troops serving in Iraq.
But with the change of mission introduced with President Bush's troop reinforcement plan, a main goal of General Petraeus's counterinsurgency strategy is to protect the Iraqi people, and thus turn them against the insurgents.
Addressing his own parliament on his return, he anticipated a "fundamental change of mission in the first months of 2009", with Britain's role evolving from that of an occupier to an ally's.
"There is no change of mission for the drivers - they should attack at all opportunities," said McLaren managing director Jonathan Neale.
Brought in to steer the Department of Energy (DOE) lab through a tricky change of mission, Drell said she would stick around long enough only to get the job done.
