Washington ? President Bush will announce his decision on future troops levels in Iraq next week, and is expected to largely follow the recommendations of his military leaders to cut troop levels there by up to 8,000 by mid-January.

The closely held plan forwarded by top Pentagon advisers calls for keeping 15 combat brigades in Iraq until the end of the year, according to senior defense officials.

It would also send a small Marine contingent to Afghanistan in November to replace one of two units slated to head home then.

Bush is scheduled to make remarks Tuesday at the National Defense University in Washington.