Anti-War Protests Disrupt Petraeus Hearings
Source: Al Manar TV, 08-04-2008
Anti-war protestors demanding the withdrawal of US occupation troops from Iraq and highlighting civilian deaths disrupted a crucial Senate hearing Tuesday featuring the top US general and diplomat in Baghdad.
One man stood at the back of the wood paneled hearing room screaming "Bring them Home," "Bring them Home" before being hustled out by US Capitol police to a standing ovation from fellow protestors.
When General David Petraeus entered the hearing room to deliver his testimony, protestors chanted "Stop the killing," "Surge of Sorrow," and "Stay out of Iran."
Petraeus said that a drawdown of US occupation forces from Iraq will be halted for at least 45 days after the last of the "surge" brigades are out of the country in July.
Democrats immediately charged that Petraeus's recommendation amounted to an open-ended pause, and the general acknowledged that any further reductions will be made only as conditions permitted.
"I recommend to my chain of command that we continue the drawdown of the surge combat forces and that, upon the withdrawal of the last surge brigade combat team in July, we undertake a 45-day period of consolidation and evaluation," Petraeus said in the congressional testimony.
"At the end of that period we will commence of process of assessment to examine the conditions on the ground, and, over time, determine when we can make recommendations for further reductions. The process will be continuous, with recommendations for further reductions made as conditions permit."
Senator Carl Levin, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services
Committee, parsed the general's statement and concluded, "That is a clear, open-ended pause." "It seems to me you have given your chain of command a plan that has no end to it," Levin said.
Petraeus responded that any future cutbacks in US forces would be decided as conditions permitted. "At the end of the period of evaluation and consolidation, it could be right then. Or, it could be longer than that," Petraeus said.
Petraeus said he had no estimate of the number of US troops would remain in the country at the end of the year. The scheduled withdrawal of five "surge" brigades by July is expected to reduce the US military presence to about 140,000 troops.
Anti-war protestors demanding the withdrawal of US occupation troops from Iraq and highlighting civilian deaths disrupted a crucial Senate hearing Tuesday featuring the top US general and diplomat in Baghdad.
One man stood at the back of the wood paneled hearing room screaming "Bring them Home," "Bring them Home" before being hustled out by US Capitol police to a standing ovation from fellow protestors.
When General David Petraeus entered the hearing room to deliver his testimony, protestors chanted "Stop the killing," "Surge of Sorrow," and "Stay out of Iran."
Petraeus said that a drawdown of US occupation forces from Iraq will be halted for at least 45 days after the last of the "surge" brigades are out of the country in July.
Democrats immediately charged that Petraeus's recommendation amounted to an open-ended pause, and the general acknowledged that any further reductions will be made only as conditions permitted.
"I recommend to my chain of command that we continue the drawdown of the surge combat forces and that, upon the withdrawal of the last surge brigade combat team in July, we undertake a 45-day period of consolidation and evaluation," Petraeus said in the congressional testimony.
"At the end of that period we will commence of process of assessment to examine the conditions on the ground, and, over time, determine when we can make recommendations for further reductions. The process will be continuous, with recommendations for further reductions made as conditions permit."
Senator Carl Levin, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services
Committee, parsed the general's statement and concluded, "That is a clear, open-ended pause." "It seems to me you have given your chain of command a plan that has no end to it," Levin said.
Petraeus responded that any future cutbacks in US forces would be decided as conditions permitted. "At the end of the period of evaluation and consolidation, it could be right then. Or, it could be longer than that," Petraeus said.
Petraeus said he had no estimate of the number of US troops would remain in the country at the end of the year. The scheduled withdrawal of five "surge" brigades by July is expected to reduce the US military presence to about 140,000 troops.
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