WASHINGTON, Aug 16 (Saba) -- The July 2011 date to begin the withdrawal of U.S. combat forces from Afghanistan is not negotiable, White House deputy press secretary Bill Burton said on Monday, according to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA).

Told that U.S. General David Petraeus, commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, said on Sunday that, depending on conditions on the ground, he might recommend that the U.S. pullout begin later, Burton said that comment was "a very thinly sliced parsing" of Petraeus' remarks on "Meet the Press."

Petraeus also said "very specifically that that deadline stands, and there is no daylight between the President or his commanders on the ground when it comes to July 2011," Burton said during a gaggle with reporters aboard Air Force One en route to Wisconsin, where President Barack Obama was scheduled to speak later in the day.

"As you saw with Iraq, when the President makes a commitment he keeps it, and he intends to do that here as well." While the scope and rate of withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan will be "conditions-based," Burton said, "the date is not negotiable."

Saba