September 10, 2007

Petraeus Testimony Unlikely To Yield Surprises

An Iraq-focused week for Congress kicks off today with the first reports from Gen. David Petraeus. U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker will also head to the Hill this week.

The long-awaited assessments come after the Bush administration asked legislators in May to wait through the summer to cast judgment on the effects of the troop surge. President Bush plans a public address at the end of the week to announce plans for the future in the wake of the reports.

Congressional Democrats have tried to blunt the impact of the current assessment. On FOX News Sunday, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., reminded viewers that Petraeus is not "an independent evaluator" and is tied closely to the Bush administration. White House spokesman Tony Fratto hit back, accusing Democrats of letting liberal group MoveOn.org -- which is running an ad in the New York Times today on "General Betray Us" -- "write their talking points."

What Petraeus will actually say won't be much of a shock. He told ABC News last week that "the surge will run its course" and predicted a gradual reduction of the estimated 162,000 U.S. troops currently stationed in Iraq. But he will urge against a quick drawdown with specific pullout dates, claiming that despite slow progress on the Iraqi political front, the surge is working to improve security (especially in Baghdad and the Anbar province) and troops need more time to finish their mission.

Petraeus "wants to keep as much force on the ground as we possibly can, for as long as we possibly can," according to an unnamed administration official cited in the Los Angeles Times.

Petraeus did concede last week that he would consider a small drawdown of 4,000 troops as early as December -- a largely symbolic gesture to the members of Congress he goes before today.

Photo: Army Web site

Posted at 9:00 AM
Posted to: Congress, David Petraeus, Iraq, Middle East, Military
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