shevaub
09-11-2007, 12:07 PM
(Reuters) - The top U.S. commander in Iraq Gen. David Petraeus came under fire on Tuesday from Republicans sceptical about war strategy as well as Democrats who have demanded a swifter withdrawal of American troops
Petraeus, testifying before the U.S. Congress for a second day with U.S. ambassador to Baghdad Ryan Crocker, told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee he believed the United States could stabilize Iraq over time.
"Though we both believe this effort can succeed, it will take time," Petraeus said.
He insisted progress was being made under President George W. Bush's strategy of a temporary build-up of troops to allow time for political reconciliation, which is being strongly challenged in Washington.
"A premature drawdown of our forces would likely have devastating consequences," he said, echoing the argument often put forward by Bush for maintaining the U.S. force in Iraq that has failed to bring stability four and a half years after the U.S.-led invasion.
But Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, asked: "Are we going to continue to invest American blood and treasure at the same rate we're doing now? For what? The president said, 'Let's buy time.' Buy time? For what?"
Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana, the top Republican on the committee, told Petraeus that President George W. Bush's troop increase "must not be an excuse for failing to prepare for the next phase of our involvement in Iraq, whether that is partial withdrawal, a gradual redeployment or some other option."
One of the eight Democrats seeking the party's presidential nomination, Sen. Joseph Biden, said the U.S. effort in Iraq was doomed because the country's leaders were not committed to reconciliation.
"The American people will not support an infinite war whose sole remaining purpose is to prevent the situation in Iraq from becoming worse than it is today," the Delaware senator said.
Petraeus repeated his plan -- outlined on Monday -- to reduce the number of troops in Iraq by some 30,000 to around 130,000 by next summer, a return to the level before Bush ordered a surge of forces at the start of this year.
But Petraeus said he could not predict how quickly troop levels would fall beyond next summer and insisted his force should continue to protect the Iraqi population.
He rejected suggestions that his troops should switch to a mission focused on handing over duties to Iraqi forces and conducting counter-terrorism operations.
Biden advocated a change in mission and a move to a more federal system in Iraq. "It's time to turn the corner," he said. "We should stop the surge and start bringing our troops home."
DAY OF GRILLING
The criticism came at the start of a day of grilling for Petraeus and Crocker by senators, including several Democratic presidential candidates who have strongly criticized Bush's handling of the deeply unpopular war and some Republican senators who have broken ranks with the president on Iraq.
Some analysts believe Petraeus' plan, although it only takes troop numbers back to their level at the start of this year, may be enough to dissuade Republicans from siding with Democrats to force a quicker and deeper drawdown.
Iraq's government on Tuesday welcomed Petraeus' testimony to Congress the previous day and said it would have less need for foreign forces to carry out combat operations soon.
"We expect in the near future that our need will be diminished for the multinational forces to conduct direct combat operations," Iraqi national security adviser Mowaffaq al-Rubaie said.
Rubaie said all Iraqi army units would be trained and equipped by mid-2008. More than 80 percent of Iraq's army had the capability to take the lead in combat operations.
Underlining their continued leading combat role, U.S. forces targeting an al Qaeda network in northwest Iraq killed eight suspected insurgents on Tuesday, the U.S. military said. U.S. troops killed another 15 insurgents around Baghdad.
The powerful political movement loyal to anti-American Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr dismissed the general's testimony and demanded a timetable for a full withdrawal.
"As long as U.S. troops are on our streets, Iraqis will bleed and pay the price for keeping the Americans safe in their own country," said Salah al-Ubaidi, a movement spokesman.
Petraeus, testifying before the U.S. Congress for a second day with U.S. ambassador to Baghdad Ryan Crocker, told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee he believed the United States could stabilize Iraq over time.
"Though we both believe this effort can succeed, it will take time," Petraeus said.
He insisted progress was being made under President George W. Bush's strategy of a temporary build-up of troops to allow time for political reconciliation, which is being strongly challenged in Washington.
"A premature drawdown of our forces would likely have devastating consequences," he said, echoing the argument often put forward by Bush for maintaining the U.S. force in Iraq that has failed to bring stability four and a half years after the U.S.-led invasion.
But Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, asked: "Are we going to continue to invest American blood and treasure at the same rate we're doing now? For what? The president said, 'Let's buy time.' Buy time? For what?"
Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana, the top Republican on the committee, told Petraeus that President George W. Bush's troop increase "must not be an excuse for failing to prepare for the next phase of our involvement in Iraq, whether that is partial withdrawal, a gradual redeployment or some other option."
One of the eight Democrats seeking the party's presidential nomination, Sen. Joseph Biden, said the U.S. effort in Iraq was doomed because the country's leaders were not committed to reconciliation.
"The American people will not support an infinite war whose sole remaining purpose is to prevent the situation in Iraq from becoming worse than it is today," the Delaware senator said.
Petraeus repeated his plan -- outlined on Monday -- to reduce the number of troops in Iraq by some 30,000 to around 130,000 by next summer, a return to the level before Bush ordered a surge of forces at the start of this year.
But Petraeus said he could not predict how quickly troop levels would fall beyond next summer and insisted his force should continue to protect the Iraqi population.
He rejected suggestions that his troops should switch to a mission focused on handing over duties to Iraqi forces and conducting counter-terrorism operations.
Biden advocated a change in mission and a move to a more federal system in Iraq. "It's time to turn the corner," he said. "We should stop the surge and start bringing our troops home."
DAY OF GRILLING
The criticism came at the start of a day of grilling for Petraeus and Crocker by senators, including several Democratic presidential candidates who have strongly criticized Bush's handling of the deeply unpopular war and some Republican senators who have broken ranks with the president on Iraq.
Some analysts believe Petraeus' plan, although it only takes troop numbers back to their level at the start of this year, may be enough to dissuade Republicans from siding with Democrats to force a quicker and deeper drawdown.
Iraq's government on Tuesday welcomed Petraeus' testimony to Congress the previous day and said it would have less need for foreign forces to carry out combat operations soon.
"We expect in the near future that our need will be diminished for the multinational forces to conduct direct combat operations," Iraqi national security adviser Mowaffaq al-Rubaie said.
Rubaie said all Iraqi army units would be trained and equipped by mid-2008. More than 80 percent of Iraq's army had the capability to take the lead in combat operations.
Underlining their continued leading combat role, U.S. forces targeting an al Qaeda network in northwest Iraq killed eight suspected insurgents on Tuesday, the U.S. military said. U.S. troops killed another 15 insurgents around Baghdad.
The powerful political movement loyal to anti-American Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr dismissed the general's testimony and demanded a timetable for a full withdrawal.
"As long as U.S. troops are on our streets, Iraqis will bleed and pay the price for keeping the Americans safe in their own country," said Salah al-Ubaidi, a movement spokesman.