U.S.' Skelton (D-MO) wants Iraq drawdown, has Afghan worries - Reuters

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

U.S.' Skelton wants Iraq drawdown, has Afghan worries
Tue Jul 24, 2007 5:10PM EDT

By Susan Cornwell

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Despite new U.S. intelligence warnings on
al Qaeda's resurgent terrorism network, a leading U.S. House of
Representatives Democrat still believes U.S. troops in Iraq should
be drawn down.

But the United States might have to increase its troops in Afghanistan
if other NATO countries do not help more there, said House Armed
Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton.

However, speaking in an interview with Reuters on Tuesday, Skelton
opposed U.S. incursions into Pakistan, which neighbors Afghanistan,
to chase down al Qaeda fugitives.

"The best thing we can do, for the health of our young people in
uniform, particularly ground forces, is to redeploy (from Iraq), as
best we can in an orderly fashion, taking our equipment with us,"
said Skelton, a moderate Democrat from Missouri.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSN2421532020070724