U.S. commander warns against Iraq cutoff (Abizaid at Sen. Hearing)

[rodeodance]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/congress_iraq

U.S. commander warns against Iraq cutoff

By ANNE PLUMMER FLAHERTY, Associated Press Writer 24 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - The top U.S. commander in the Middle East warned Congress Wednesday against setting a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from
Iraq, putting him at odds with resurgent Democrats pressing
President Bush to start pulling out of the violence-torn country.


Gen. John Abizaid spoke as the
Senate Armed Services Committee began re-examining U.S. policy in the wake of last week's elections, which gave Democrats control of Congress starting next year and was widely seen as a repudiation of the administration's war policies.

Democrats have been coalescing around a call for beginning a U.S. withdrawal in coming months. In arguing against a timetable for troop withdrawals, Abizaid told the committee that he and other commanders need flexibility in managing U.S. forces and determining how and when to pass on responsibility to Iraqi forces.

"Specific timetables limit that flexibility," Abizaid said.

[rodeodance]

1. see this du thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2723682

[wholetruth00]

2. i was really disappointed in the questioning and followup from the Dem side.

I thought Kennedy was going to knock it out of the park but he didn't follow up.

[w4rma]

3. From what I understand, Abizaid was specifically chosen by Rumsfeld. (nt)