Senators Grill General Petraeus

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Senators Grill General Petraeus

September 11, 2007 10:58 AM

ABC News' Jennifer Parker reports: On his second day of testimony to Congress about the future of the Iraq war, Army Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. military commander in Iraq, faced criticism from senators in two, almost back-to-back hearings of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the Senate Armed Services Committee.

One Republican senator, who announced this week he would not be running for president or any other elected office in 2008, had one of the angriest exchanges of the day.

"Are we going to continue to invest American blood and treasure at the same rate we're doing now? For what," demanded Republican Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska. "The President said, 'let's buy time.' Buy time for what?" Hagel asked, arguing Iraq's national leaders have not made progress on quelling sectarian violence.

"We have got too many disconnects here, General -- way too many disconnects," Hagel said. "This is the administration's fault, we have never ever looked at Iraq in the larger strategic context."

Hagel also launched into an attack of Ambassador Crocker's assertion that if U.S. forces pull out of Iraq, Iraq could degenerate into a civil war.

"We going to see Iraq devolving into a civil war? Come on. Our National Intelligence Estimate says we're already in a civil war," Hagel charged.

Five senators running for president also had the opportunity to grill Petraeus -- who said the troop surge should continue until summer of 2008, upon when U.S. troop levels in Iraq would go down to the pre-surge level of 130,000 U.S. troops in Iraq.

Among them was Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a Democratic presidential candidate, who implored the general to end the President's military surge strategy.

"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," Biden said.

Biden argued the point of the surge was to give Iraqi national leaders breathing room to stem ethic and sectarian violence and tensions, and that hasn't happened.

"It's time to turn the corner," Biden said. "We should stop the surge and start bringing our troops home."

Senator Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., told the general " you have been made the defacto spokesman for what many of us believe to be a failed policy."

Clinton accused the general of dodging a question first posed by Biden earlier in the day about how long U.S. troops will remain in Iraq.

"If in fact the circumstances on the ground are exactly what they are today in March of next year, will you recommend the continuation of somewhere between 130 to 160- thousand troops being shot at
killed and maimed everyday?" Clinton pressed Petraeus.

"I would be very hard pressed at that time to recommend a continuation," Petraeus responded. But he said, "it is an awfully big hypothetical and it is not something that would want to try to determine right here right now about a point a year from now."

Another Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., also disagreed with Petraeus' assessment that the surge had worked to quel violence in Iraq.

"We're seeing nothing getting better here at all," Dodd said. "How do we justify this continuation?"

Outside the hearing room, Dodd said Petraeus and Crocker were delivering "happy-talk" about the progress made in Iraq. "Happy talk doesn't get the job done," he told reporters.

As he was leaving the committee hearing, Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., told reporters that he was not persuaded by the officials' assessment of progress on Iraq.

"Petraeus and Crocker are capable men … they have been given an extraordinarily messy task," Obama said. "But they have not swayed me. Staying on the same path in the next four or five years will not yeild a different result."

Petraeus received a much warmer welcome from Republican presidential candidate Senator John McCain.

"I, too, have been made sick at heart by the terrible price we've paid for nearly four years of mismanaged war," said the Arizona Senator. However McCain argued leaving Iraq would create a "terrorism sanctuary in the heart of the middle east."

"I believe we cannot choose to lose in Iraq. And I will do everything in my power to see that our commanders in Iraq have the time and support they request to win this war," he said.

When Democratic Senator Robert Menendez asked Petraeus how much longer U.S. troops would be in Iraq, the general refused to answer, saying it would be a "disservice" to the troops.

"I'm as frustrated in the situation as anybody else. It's going on three years living in the situation after a year in Bosnia," Petraeus said, referring to his own deployment.

ABC News' Z. Byron Wolf and Matt Jaffe contributed to this report.

September 11, 2007 | Permalink | User Comments (240)

User Comments

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General Patraeous did a good job! I would ask our politicians if they want us to WIN in Iraq! It was obvious that the real issue sums up to politics as usual! Most Dem's want this war to end in Bush's watch, so that the next president which we can assume will be a DEM will not have the responsibilty. On the other hand the Rep's don't want to pull out, realizing also this can come back and bite the Dems if not hanlded properly.

Dem's should not feel victimized either since 90% voted for the war. It's defenitely a dificult task for any party. The question...remains, do we want to WIN!

Gary

Posted by: Gary Oura | Sep 11, 2007 12:34:32 PM

low life democrats grilling a decorated 4 star general. A man who lives his life for honor and integrity. Shame on you democrats. You are the reason why I will never vote for a democrat again in my life.

Posted by: Harry | Sep 11, 2007 12:34:57 PM

Only those that have actually been on the front lines have any business questioning this General. Biden, that doesn't include you! You have now or ever known what you're talking about!

Posted by: Jim | Sep 11, 2007 12:36:16 PM

ABC- what a lousy half written crappy story. you do not include our great generals responses to these lame attacks buy (pun intended) democrats. YOu are so obviously pro obl and terrorist its ridicilous. Get a grip. You are losing audience online and on tv. Support your country. Stand with us, not against us.

Posted by: Harry | Sep 11, 2007 12:39:12 PM

Senator Biden and others;
Please stop referencing voters, which includes me, in your questions to the General and tell us what you believe. From what I hear you are notspeaking form. I ,Senator Biden, believe !!!
Dick Weiss

Posted by: Dick Weiss | Sep 11, 2007 12:39:54 PM

Joe biden for sale to the highest bidder. Say no to joe. loser.

Posted by: Harry | Sep 11, 2007 12:40:37 PM

It's a shame that these senators can't be drafted, given a rifle and made to defend this country. Politics take men and women and turn them into cowards. Then they become traitors. Biden is so consumed with his hatred of Bush he will destroy this country. Shame on the voters that elected this clown.

Posted by: L. Liesner | Sep 11, 2007 12:41:32 PM

Political horse and pony show by Biden.
Bidens verbal attack on Petraeus was disgraceful, cowardly and was one of the
lowest acts of political jocking for the day..

Posted by: Adams | Sep 11, 2007 12:43:45 PM

Another phony Bin Laden tape. Be very afraid. In fact, I think he's been stealing socks out of my drier. And,and he hates kittens and panda bears.

Posted by: tim osman | Sep 11, 2007 12:44:38 PM

and GWB hated Hussein so much he was willing to start this mess of a war and kill innocent folks on both sides! that's right - Iraqis love their children too!!

Posted by: osipov | Sep 11, 2007 12:51:16 PM

What a bunch of nonsense most of you are writing. What are we doing in Iraq in the first place? Bin Laden is a devout Muslim, and despised Saddam's sectarian despotism in Iraq - these guys had nothing to do with each other. Saddam had no Weapons of Mass Destruction, and nothing to do with 9/11. Those are the facts. We went to war, spilling our blood, and our treasure, because that arrogant fool in the White House was upset that Saddam tried to kill his Daddy! History will so record. We gave up the chance to strike a killing blow against As Queda by doing that!

Posted by: Al Feldzamen | Sep 11, 2007 12:51:37 PM

I wonder how many of the writers here were actually in the military. Go enlist if you are so concerned. Don't let age be a factor. Or is your hero 5 deferment Chaney?

Posted by: chopper | Sep 11, 2007 12:53:32 PM

Gary, Do we want to win the war?

WHO THE HELL CARES?

What the hell is wrong with you people? What can possibly call a victory at this point? WE WILL NEVER CATCH ANYONE INVOLVED WITH 9-11. Pulling our troops out wouldn't be a tragedy, it would be a step toward ENDING a tragedy. Democrats and Republicans alike, ALONG WITH THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE THEY REPRESENT, want this war to end. "Winning" hasn't been relevant since "Mission Accomplished" day. Because there is no way to win. This is a no-win situation. Understand? If you can define what you think is a "win", then we can debate whether we can or not. Until then, as long as we're needlessly fighting somewhere we shouldn't be, there is no win.

Our enemy is not Usama bin Laden. It is ourselves. General Petraeus is indeed doing his job, and that is lying to keep the war going. That's why he's general.

How do you not see that? I mean, not as a republican or a democrat, but just as a human being? Are you people that dense?

Posted by: Seth | Sep 11, 2007 12:53:39 PM

All you whiners on this post have obviously never worn a uniform or stood a real post. My fellow military borthers/sisters are dying because W's and DIck's lies and you support that? I should come to your neighborhood and enlist you, your wives and your sons and daughters. Then your pespectives will changes when you die and yours die for lies and oil.

Pathetic you are!

Posted by: Tony | Sep 11, 2007 12:53:53 PM

What a contrast.These two bit fat politicians that sit in air conditioned offices that could not find the dipstick on their car is telling a four star General how to conduct a war?
What a joke.

Posted by: Jack Weaver | Sep 11, 2007 12:54:10 PM

Does anyone else notice how this report was strategically timed to the anniversary of 9-11? There are no parallels between the attacks and the was in Iraq so the Bush Crime Family will do anything, no matter how despicable, to draw connections.

Posted by: Liz | Sep 11, 2007 12:55:10 PM

Comments like Daddy makes show the basics civics lessons that the military used to understand before they were fed 'dumbledorf patties" by halliburton money swindlers. And in the midst of the killing fields no less...swift boat people R US...your left...your left...your left...right-NO!!!!!

Posted by: daddy | Sep 11, 2007 12:57:56 PM

Bush Crime Family is right.

Let's talk about how W's gran dad did business with the Nazi's and the recent reports on YOUTUBE that his daddy was in Dallas in proximity to the depository the day JFK was assissinated.

Posted by: Tony | Sep 11, 2007 12:58:12 PM

Osama is a mercenary marketing director for various government owned weapons manufacturers parading as a religious person...that flies planes into buildings; and Americans accept that he is a religious person; which explains why Americans accept this war; which in fact should only be portrayed as a weapons deal; whether or not it is a weapons deal is of no relevance. A law making the minimum price of Gasoline at the pump $1.70 means “war ends we win“; otherwise we lose...Signed: top Intel analyst in the world.

Posted by: Getzel | Sep 11, 2007 12:58:34 PM

John Arquilla, an intelligence and counterinsurgency expert at the Naval Postgraduate School, is even harsher in his assessment of Petraeus. “I think Colin Powell used dodgy information to get us into the war, and Petraeus is using dodgy information to keep us there,” he said.

Posted by: tim osman | Sep 11, 2007 12:58:41 PM

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