The General and Ambassador initially reported to the Senate Committee on Armed Services (its members are John McCain and Hillary Clinton) and then - to the members of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations (Barak Obama).
In his report General Petraeus emphasized “significant but not always steady” changes in the security situation in Iraq versus the situation last September when he reported to the Congress on the same problem. In the opinion of the General, after the strength of the US troops was increased the situation in the country radically progressed but still remains rather instable and may deteriorate any minute.
The Force Commander indicated that the situation in Iraq remains “very complicated”. He blamed on Iran for it that plays “a destructive role” in Iraq, funding and training Shiah combatants through its “special teams” in the country. General Petraeus also gave rather negative assessment to the recent operation of the Iraqi Government troops against “Mahdi Army” in Basra, stressing that it “was planned and prepared inadequately”.
According to General Petraeus, the scheduled withdrawal of 20 thousand US troops from Iraq will be continued but the date of complete troop withdrawal remains uncertain. The Commander recommended suspending the US troop withdrawal from Iraq this July. Such suspension will be followed by a 45-day period of “consolidation and assessment” of the situation required to secure the achieved results. The General failed to answer a question how many US troops will be stationed in Iraq by the end of this year. Currently the strength of the US contingent in this country is 160,000 men.
In turn, American Ambassador to Baghdad Ryan Crocker said that the progress in Iraq is “unsteady and sometimes frustratively slow”. Simultaneously he claimed that the USA and Iraq entered into negotiations on a long-term framework agreement on bilateral relations that will stipulate the provisions relating to the American military presence and status of the American troops in Iraq. In so doing, Crocker emphasized that the agreement will not stipulate presence of any permanent US military bases in Iraq, and that it “will not pinion” the next American Administration.
Rather expectable reaction of Senators to the reports of General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker was very inconsistent. For example, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Armed Services Carl Levin criticized the Iraqi leadership for failure to exploit reinforcement of the American contingent to gain control over the situation in the country. Republican Senator and candidate for the president John McCain expressed his disagreement with such opinion. According to him, today it is possible to look forward with optimism at the future of Iraq and American efforts.
McCain also indicated that withdrawal of the American troops will create a vacuum of power. “Our allies, Arabian countries, UN and Iraqis themselves will fail to fulfill their obligations if we retreat blindly”, the Senator emphasized. In turn, Democratic Senators and candidates for the president Barak Obama ans Hilary Clinton once again urged to continue the withdrawal from Iraq.
Hillary Clinton sharply criticized the actual Iraqi leadership. According to her, it failed to meet expectations, and the Americans should continue “well-ordered process of withdrawal”. In the opinion of Clinton, the operation in Iraq exhausts the resources of the US Armed Services, meanwhile Bush’s Administration ignores the rising price of its failed Iraqi policy.
In turn, Barak Obama urged to start negotiations with Iran. He offered this idea earlier too but was criticized by McCain and Clinton. In the Committee on Foreign Relations Barak Obama asked Ambasador Crocker to “build up diplomatic efforts” in the Iranian direction similarly to “build-up” of military efforts reported by General Petraeus.
"If Maliki tolerates neighborly relations with Iran, we also should talk with them. I don’t thing that we’ll be able to stabilize the situation without them”, Obama emphasized referring to the contacts of the actual Iraqi Government with Tehran. He also repeated his opinion that the decision on invasion in Iraq was initially a “great strategic mistake”, and urged to draw up a schedule of withdrawal. According to him, the two problems indicated by General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker in their reports: “Al Qaeda in Iraq” and increasing influence of Iran in the region are “…a direct result of that initial decision”.
Meanwhile, April 9 is the fifth anniversary of Baghdad occupation by the American troops. In this context, the Iraqi Government and occupational forces again have taken extraordinary measures of security, for the situation in the country in spite of the statements of the US Administration and Pentagon officials remains very stressful and still trends to periodic aggravations and even serious crisis.
Commenting on the Congress hearings, observers noted that General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker did not raise such urgent problem of Iraq as increasing mistrust and violence between the Siah and Sunni communities of the country. Meanwhile alongside with the activities of “Mahdi Army” it is a factor objectively inflaming the civil war that the actual American leadership yet cannot respond to adequately but by preserving its huge military presence in this country for uncertain time. In fact it was confirmed by the reports of Petraeus and Crocker at the Congress hearings.
