Bush's Iraq Plan Faces Battle on Hill (from rethugs, too)

[babylonsister]

http://www.rawstory.com/showarticle.php?src=http%3A%2F%2Fapnews.myway.com%2Farticle%2F20070106%2FD8MFUCM80.html

Bush's Iraq Plan Faces Battle on Hill


Jan 6, 1:10 PM (ET)

By ANNE FLAHERTY

snip//


While lawmakers said they were willing to wait and see the entirety of Bush's plan before dismissing it entirely, members - including some Republicans - said they remained deeply skeptical about sending more troops.

"My conclusion was that it would be a mistake to send more troops to Baghdad. I think the sectarian violence there requires a political, not a military, solution," said Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine., who had not had a chance yet to meet with the president.

"I also have not seen a clarity of mission, and I think that's the greatest weakness that we have right now," Wilson said. "We're talking about goals in lofty terms that are not vital American national interests. American troops should only go in harm's way to protect America's vital interests."

Even Sen. John McCain, a Republican who advocates sending more troops in Iraq, said he wouldn't support sending in the additional forces unless the number was adequate enough to finally tamp down the violence.

"I need to know if it's enough or not," McCain said.

McCain, R-Ariz., and Sen. Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn., said they think at a minimum another three to five brigades should be sent to Baghdad and one more to Anbar province. About 3,500 troops are in a brigade. About 140,000 U.S. troops are in Iraq now.

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