A Pentagon decision to delay deployment of an Army combat brigade to Iraq hints at growing optimism that conditions there are improving, but officials cautioned Monday that it doesn't signal the start of a sizable military withdrawal.

The Army said the move has little impact, as yet, on plans to send four other combat brigades to Iraq in August and September.

But officials also did not rule out decisions in the coming months that could keep some of those units at home, and lead to a substantial reduction of U.S. troops in Iraq just before the November congressional elections.

"This is a very narrow decision to hold one brigade from deploying and to give the commanders on the ground additional time to continue their assessments," said Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman. "Obviously there has been a degree of political progress that has been made in the last couple of weeks."

Though this is only one brigade this could be the start of shifting more responsibility to Iraqi soldiers and deploying less of our troops. Obviously we still have a long way to go before we can bring all our troops home, but it could be a start. They'll be able to bring more home while rotating fewer troops into battle is Iraqi's step up to handle things on their own.

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