Petraeus Supports Troop Increase in Iraq

In this Oct. 8, 2004, file photo, United States Army Lt. Gen. David Petraeus gestures while speaking during a media conference at NATO headquarters in Brussels. President Bush nominated Petraeus to replace Army Gen. George Casey as the senior American commander in Iraq. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo) (Virginia Mayo - AP)

Warner and Senate Democrats are eventually expected to try and reach a compromise on the issue. If they are successful, the result would likely be a dramatic bipartisan rejection of a commander in chief in wartime.

If confirmed, Petraeus will implement Bush's plan to send an extra 21,500 U.S. troops to Iraq _ most of them to Baghdad where the general said they will operate from smaller, dispersed bases in the city to help the Iraqi security forces clear specific neighborhoods of insurgents, illegal militias and death squads.

At Tuesday's hearing, Petraeus told the lawmakers that no amount of U.S. effort will succeed unless Iraqis learn to compromise.

"Ultimately, the outcome will be determined by the Iraqis," Petraeus said.

Petraeus would replace Gen. George Casey, who has led U.S. forces in Iraq since July 2004 and has been nominated to be the next Army chief of staff.

That move was part of a broad overhaul of the Iraq war effort. In addition to replacing Donald H. Rumsfeld with Robert Gates as defense secretary, Bush announced two weeks ago that he was increasing U.S. troop levels and ordering a more robust economic development program.

Levin, a leading war policy critic, pressed Petraeus on whether the flow of additional U.S. troops could be halted in midstream if the Iraqi government failed to meet its commitment to provide thousands more Iraqi troops.

"It could," Petraeus replied. Earlier, he said there were no "specific conditions" the Iraqis must meet in order to keep the flow of U.S. forces moving.

The last of five additional U.S. brigades are scheduled to arrive in the Iraqi capital in May; the first, from the 82nd Airborne Division, got there just days ago.

Asked by Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., how long the extra troops would remain in Iraq, Petraeus said he did not know. Casey said last week they might begin leaving as soon as late summer.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., a leading proponent of Bush's plan, asked Petraeus how long he thought the U.S. buildup could be sustained.

"I am keenly aware of the strain" on the Army and Marine Corps, Petraeus said, adding that he welcomes Bush's proposal to increase the size of the land forces over the coming five years.