Susan Ferrechio, The Examiner
2008-04-09 07:00:00.0
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WASHINGTON -

Progress made by U.S. forces in Iraq remains “fragile and reversible,” Gen. David Petraeus told the three presidential candidates Tuesday at two separate Senate hearings on the status of the yearlong troop surge, which he urged them to continue to fund.

The war returned to the top of the agendas of the presidential contenders, who detoured from the campaign trail to face off against one another on the issue, beginning with Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., ranking member on the Senate Armed Services Committee, which conducted the first session. McCain, a supporter of the troop surge, jabbed fellow Sens. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., and Barack Obama, D-Ill., characterizing their proposals to immediately withdraw troops from Iraq “reckless and irresponsible.”

Clinton, before even questioning Petraeus, rebutted a similar comment the Arizona senator made Monday in which he called the Democrats’ withdrawal plans “the height of irresponsibility” and “a failure of leadership.”

Responding to McCain's attack, Clinton, voice hoarse from campaigning, told Petraeus Tuesday, “I think it could be fair to say that it might well be irresponsible to continue the policy that has not produced the results that have been promised time and time again.”

At a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing later in the day, all eyes and cameras were on Obama, who said Petraeus and Crocker are “cleaning up the mess” that has resulted from a flawed decision to invade Iraq. He called for a withdrawal timetable and increased diplomatic efforts that include Iran.

Obama suggested the conditions for withdrawal are set too high and questioned whether troops could leave the country in its “messy, sloppy status quo” rather than remain there until conditions improve more dramatically.

Petraeus, along with Ryan Crocker, the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, provided Congress with the first in-person update on the troop buildup since their relatively positive progress report in September. Violence in the country had continued to decline until recently, when militia fighting erupted in Basra leading to a botched attempt by Iraqi forces to get control of the city.

McCain questioned Petraeus on the Basra fighting and the new Baghdad violence, getting the general to admit efforts by the Iraqi government to regain control of southern port city were “a disappointment.”

Clinton maintained the opposing view and pointed to statements made by Petraeus that the Iraqi government “has not made sufficient political progress.” Clinton said it is “time to begin an orderly process of withdrawing our troops.”

sferrechio@dcexaminer.com