By Shailagh Murray
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Before yesterday's testimony from Gen. David H. Petraeus, Sen. Olympia J. Snowe thought the future was inevitable: The U.S. mission in Iraq would change, and the troops would come home. All the general could do with his long-awaited progress report on the war was affect the timing, because "change is in the offing."

But in the moments after Petraeus finished his report to the House Armed Services and Foreign Affairs committees, Snowe (R-Maine) said she had heard little progress and was left with even more questions.

"What we have heard today is that our extraordinary and brave troops have been doing their part in making tremendous sacrifices to provide progress on the security front," she said. "The real question, which I have yet to hear adequately addressed, is what our strategy and mission should be in light of the failure of Iraqi factions to make similar progress on the political benchmarks necessary for the critical Iraqi national reconciliation -- which after all was the original purpose of the surge."

The testimony from Petraeus, the U.S. commander in Iraq, and Ryan C. Crocker, the U.S. ambassador, rankled lawmakers such as Snowe who have turned against the war. But it rallied war supporters who saw validation in the report for holding firm against demands for troop withdrawal deadlines.

The big question is what the undecided members of both parties will conclude, once the dust settles after Petraeus and Crocker's testimony before the Senate today. These lawmakers include moderate Republicans and Democrats in the House, and about 10 Republicans in the Senate. They have more or less been voting along party lines, but are increasingly eager for Democratic and Republican leaders to adopt a more conciliatory stance.

A legislative consensus could yet emerge this month, with leaders in both parties and in both chambers now communicating behind the scenes.

One proposal that has gained backing in both parties would turn the recommendations of the independent Iraq Study Group into law. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), a co-author of the proposal, said he interpreted Petraeus's plan for reducing troop levels as an indication that President Bush may be bending.

"The Petraeus recommendations are clearly a new direction, because there are troops going out, instead of troops going in. They may be coming out a little slower than I would like, but they're coming out, not going in," Alexander said.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who led a series of filibusters against Democratic withdrawal bills this year, pointed to several measures percolating in the Senate as providing "some broad endgame strategy" that could unite the two parties.

He and Reid are holding talks this week on the terms of the Iraq debate going forward. Previous efforts by the two leaders always ended in stalemate, but now both sides are optimistic. "I think it will be a series of different options" when the issue returns to the Senate floor, McConnell predicted.

The Washington Post has been following four lawmakers as they grapple with what to about the war in the coming weeks. Yesterday's testimony seemed to do little to develop consensus -- other than agreement, in the words of Rep. Dan Boren (D-Okla.), to "start thinking about the endgame here."

Snowe, who has broken with the GOP to vote for troop withdrawal deadlines, was disappointed. But a fellow Republican, Sen. Johnny Isakson (Ga.), looked for validation of the Bush strategy in Iraq and found it.

"Petraeus was very specific on the successes that we've had, very specific on where there's work left to be done, very specific on beginning withdrawal before December, and by July or the middle of next year, being back to pre-surge levels, without risking the success that we have had," he said.

But the testimony made Democratic war opponents more angry.

"I thought there would just be more of a candid and somber acknowledgment of the problems there," said Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), a founding member of the House Out of Iraq Caucus. "They tried to turn everything around as good news. Even the good news is also bad news."

The Washington Post has been following four lawmakers as they grapple with what to do about the war in Iraq. Tomorrow will feature Sens. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) and Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine).