U.S. officials in Iraq expected to say troop buildup is working
By McClatchy-Tribune News Service
WASHINGTON — Today’s testimony before Congress is billed as the defining moment for a Congress and an American public increasingly frustrated by what’s happening on the Iraqi battlefield.
Gen. David Petraeus, along with Ryan Crocker, the U.S. envoy to Iraq, will present an assessment of the current strategy in what has become the most anticipated testimony on the war before Congress since the conflict began.
Still, many political experts do not anticipate major changes in Iraq. There are not enough votes in Congress to override the president’s course. And while there is deep respect for the general and ambassador, many believe they will describe the situation in Iraq in the most favorable light.
Petraeus and Crocker are expected to say the current troop “surge” is making Iraq safer — allowing the president to discuss bringing some troops home.
Planning a national address this week, Bush has promised to “lay out a vision for future involvement in Iraq” that the public “and their elected leaders of both parties can support.”
Democratic leaders, supported by some military experts, insist that because of the strains on the military caused by the escalation of forces and the extended deployments of soldiers and Marines, some scale-back is inevitable by spring.
Democrats also say that, for all the resistance that Republican leaders are showing to a timeline for withdrawal at this stage, the closer the elections of November 2008, the happier the GOP will be to see a reduced American presence in Iraq.
Petraeus has said that sectarian violence has dropped by half since nearly 30,000 U.S. troops reinforced the capital, even as overall levels of violence remain unchanged. And he has described Iraqi security forces as improving, even as a report last week said that Iraqi forces could not take over from their U.S. counterparts for another 18 months.
In the run-up to his testimony, several government agencies have published reports that contradict one another. Those drafted by the administration have offered a rosier assessment than those commissioned by Congress.
A July National Intelligence Estimate, which Petraeus reviewed, found that the surge improved the security situation but offered no statistics to back that up.
And a report published last week by the General Accountability Office, the government watchdog group, included several charts showing the number of attacks against Iraqi civilians, Iraqi security forces and U.S. troops. Only attacks against U.S. troops have declined in recent weeks.
Amid the clashing reports, Democratic leaders plan to push for a firm withdrawal timeline.
Rep. Rahm Emanuel, D-Ill., chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, said some Republicans are already moving in that direction and suggested that the negotiations will be mostly over the speed of the de-escalation.
“They may say 5,000, we may say 25,000; they may say X date, we may say Y date,” Emanuel said. “But those are details.”
He added, “I won’t be surprised if (the withdrawal) doesn’t start in 2007, but I think it is going to start to happen in short order.”
Bush and his supporters have long resisted a timeline for withdrawal, saying that would set a “surrender date” and encourage the insurgents to hold out.
But last week, the president, citing recent meetings with Petraeus and Crocker in Iraq, told reporters accompanying him to Iraq’s Anbar province that he can envision a smaller force there.
“They told me that if ... security conditions still improve the way they have been improving ... we may be able to provide the same security with fewer troops,” Bush said.
DEVELOPMENTS
A U.S. air strike killed Abu Mohammed Afri, suspected of directing the Aug. 14 truck bombings in northern Iraq that caused the deaths of more than 400 people, the deadliest single terrorist attack since the American-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, military officials said Sunday.
The Iraqi government defended its efforts to stabilize the country but said Sunday it needs more help and was not ready for a timetable on the withdrawal of American forces. At a conference in Baghdad, Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said bordering countries had been slow to fulfill promises to stem the flow of fighters and weapons into Iraq.
CNN (cable channel 33) and CSPAN (cable channel 65) plan partial or complete live coverage today of the hearing before the House Armed Services Committee featuring testimony by Petraeus and Crocker. The hearing begins at 12:30 p.m. EDT
Source : www.thestate.com
By McClatchy-Tribune News Service
WASHINGTON — Today’s testimony before Congress is billed as the defining moment for a Congress and an American public increasingly frustrated by what’s happening on the Iraqi battlefield.
Gen. David Petraeus, along with Ryan Crocker, the U.S. envoy to Iraq, will present an assessment of the current strategy in what has become the most anticipated testimony on the war before Congress since the conflict began.
Still, many political experts do not anticipate major changes in Iraq. There are not enough votes in Congress to override the president’s course. And while there is deep respect for the general and ambassador, many believe they will describe the situation in Iraq in the most favorable light.
Petraeus and Crocker are expected to say the current troop “surge” is making Iraq safer — allowing the president to discuss bringing some troops home.
Planning a national address this week, Bush has promised to “lay out a vision for future involvement in Iraq” that the public “and their elected leaders of both parties can support.”
Democratic leaders, supported by some military experts, insist that because of the strains on the military caused by the escalation of forces and the extended deployments of soldiers and Marines, some scale-back is inevitable by spring.
Democrats also say that, for all the resistance that Republican leaders are showing to a timeline for withdrawal at this stage, the closer the elections of November 2008, the happier the GOP will be to see a reduced American presence in Iraq.
Petraeus has said that sectarian violence has dropped by half since nearly 30,000 U.S. troops reinforced the capital, even as overall levels of violence remain unchanged. And he has described Iraqi security forces as improving, even as a report last week said that Iraqi forces could not take over from their U.S. counterparts for another 18 months.
In the run-up to his testimony, several government agencies have published reports that contradict one another. Those drafted by the administration have offered a rosier assessment than those commissioned by Congress.
A July National Intelligence Estimate, which Petraeus reviewed, found that the surge improved the security situation but offered no statistics to back that up.
And a report published last week by the General Accountability Office, the government watchdog group, included several charts showing the number of attacks against Iraqi civilians, Iraqi security forces and U.S. troops. Only attacks against U.S. troops have declined in recent weeks.
Amid the clashing reports, Democratic leaders plan to push for a firm withdrawal timeline.
Rep. Rahm Emanuel, D-Ill., chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, said some Republicans are already moving in that direction and suggested that the negotiations will be mostly over the speed of the de-escalation.
“They may say 5,000, we may say 25,000; they may say X date, we may say Y date,” Emanuel said. “But those are details.”
He added, “I won’t be surprised if (the withdrawal) doesn’t start in 2007, but I think it is going to start to happen in short order.”
Bush and his supporters have long resisted a timeline for withdrawal, saying that would set a “surrender date” and encourage the insurgents to hold out.
But last week, the president, citing recent meetings with Petraeus and Crocker in Iraq, told reporters accompanying him to Iraq’s Anbar province that he can envision a smaller force there.
“They told me that if ... security conditions still improve the way they have been improving ... we may be able to provide the same security with fewer troops,” Bush said.
DEVELOPMENTS
A U.S. air strike killed Abu Mohammed Afri, suspected of directing the Aug. 14 truck bombings in northern Iraq that caused the deaths of more than 400 people, the deadliest single terrorist attack since the American-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, military officials said Sunday.
The Iraqi government defended its efforts to stabilize the country but said Sunday it needs more help and was not ready for a timetable on the withdrawal of American forces. At a conference in Baghdad, Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said bordering countries had been slow to fulfill promises to stem the flow of fighters and weapons into Iraq.
CNN (cable channel 33) and CSPAN (cable channel 65) plan partial or complete live coverage today of the hearing before the House Armed Services Committee featuring testimony by Petraeus and Crocker. The hearing begins at 12:30 p.m. EDT
Source : www.thestate.com
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