Senate Grills Petraeus on Basra

General, Crocker continue testimony on Capitol Hill today

(NEWSER) - David Petraeus and Ryan Crocker head back to Capitol Hill this morning after a grueling day of testimony that was short on substance and clear goals, writes the Washington Post. Pressed repeatedly yesterday to describe what "conditions" they would like to see before recommending a troop withdrawal, the general and ambassador parried for 8 straight hours, offering bromides like "battlefield geometry" and "political-military calculus." More»

Appeared to pass out during Senate testimony on Afghanistan

(NEWSER) - Gen. David Petraeus says he is "doing OK" after he appeared to pass out this morning during a hearing on Capitol Hill. "I just got a little dehydrated," the commander of US forces in Iran and Afghanistan tells CNN . "I ate a couple of bananas and drank some water. I didn't eat breakfast this morning." John McCain was questioning Petraeus during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing when the general slumped over and aides began crowding around him. More»

The surge is working, but things are still rough in places

(NEWSER) - Iraq's security has greatly improved since September, Gen. David Petraeus told the Senate Armed Services Committee today, thanks largely to Iraqis themselves. “Iraq has also conducted a surge,” Petraeus said, pointing to the improved Iraqi army and the contribution of Sunni Awakening groups. But he warned that those gains were “fragile and reversible,” and urged a pause in troop reductions after the surge drawdown ends in July. More»

(NEWSER) - Recent battles in Basra prove that Iran is crippling Iraqi stability while al-Qaeda's influence there wanes, US officials say. David Petraeus pointed to Iran's influence in testimony this week, and now Shiite militias are said to have benefited from Iranian weapons, training, and guidance in Basra fighting—prompting a Washington probe of Iran's impact, the Washington Post reports. More»

White House hopefuls flex rhetoric as general testifies

(NEWSER) - Today’s Capitol Hill appearance by Gen. David Petraeus was a golden opportunity for the White House hopefuls to flex their Iraq rhetoric, the Los Angeles Times reports. Hillary Clinton called for a troop withdrawal; though she agreed the decisions weren’t “easy,” she said the Bush administration “often talks about the costs of leaving Iraq … while ignoring the greater costs of staying.” More»