Troop reduction?

Washington Post reports

U.S. airstrikes in Iraq have surged this fall, jumping to nearly five times the average monthly rate earlier in the year, according to U.S. military figures.
Until the end of August, U.S. warplanes were conducting about 25 strikes a month. The number rose to 62 in September, then to 122 in October and 120 in November.
With the Pentagon preparing to reduce the level of U.S. ground forces in Iraq next year, some defense experts have speculated that U.S. airpower will be used more intensively to support operations by Iraq's fledgling security forces and protect U.S. advisers embedded with them. Indeed, American commanders have said that U.S. air forces in the region will not be drawn down as quickly as ground forces.

Ground troop reduction? Maybe? Force reduction? No way.

Interesting this is not hitting all the media sites. The increase is buried in the back. The scary thought is that the public will probably favor an increase in bomb runs. Withdraw our troops but continue to grow the air campaign. They will applaud that US troops will be pulled out of harm's way. But what about the other casualties - Iraqi civilians - just casualties of war. The question is - whose war at this point?