General David H. Petraeus said that by next summer the U.S. should be able to reduce its troop strength in Iraq to the level it was at before the recent increase.
Monday's testimony from the top U.S. general in Iraq and the ambassador to Iraq may give Republicans the boost they need to stand strong behind President Bush's policies, analysts said.
A series of reports measuring progress in Iraq were commissioned prior to Congress hearing from Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, and Ryan Crocker, the U.S. ambassador. Here's where the reports agree or diverge on key issues.
Gen. David H. Petraeus said that by next summer the U.S. should be able to reduce its troop strength in Iraq to the level it was at before the recent increase.
Republican presidential candidates said Monday that they were heartened by the Iraq status report from Gen. David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker, but Democrats renewed their calls to change course.
"Currently there are some 445,000 individuals on the payrolls of Iraq's Interior and Defense ministries. Based on recent decisions by Prime Minister Maliki, the number of Iraq security forces will grow further by the end of this year, possibly by as much as 40,000."
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., moved quickly Monday to test what effect the administration's progress reports on Iraq will have on Congress, as he led a chorus of skeptical Democratic responses.
Anti-war protesters, some dressed in one group's trademark hot-pink clothing, repeatedly interrupted Monday's congressional hearing on Iraq with shouted slogans, prompting the chairman to order them forcibly removed.
Statements from the 2008 presidential candidates on Gen. David H. Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker's report Monday to Congress regarding Iraq:
The top U.S. general in Iraq on Monday recommended cutting American troops by about 30,000 by next summer, ending the so-called surge of forces but not fundamentally changing strategy in the unpopular war.