General Resists Timetable for Withdrawal of Troops in Iraq

[FourScore]

Source: NYT

Senator Carl Levin of Michigan, chairman of the Armed Services Committee, told Gen. David H. Petraeus, the senior American commander in Iraq, and Ryan C. Crocker, Washington’s ambassador there, that the administration’s goal of creating “breathing room” for political progress by sending five additional combat brigades last year “has not been achieved.”

“That reality leads many of us to once again challenge President Bush’s policies,” Mr. Levin said as the general and the ambassador sat motionless at the witness table. Senator Levin said the current Shiite-led government in Baghdad has shown “incompetence” and “excessive sectarian” policies.

In his opening statement, General Petraeus said that security progress has been “significant but uneven.”

He called for a continuing of the troop “surge” through July, the target date for drawing down five combat brigades who were sent to reinforce the contingent last year, and then a 45-day pause before reviewing once again whether there should be a further troop reduction.



Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/09/world/middleeast/08cnd-petraeus.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin