Presidential hopefuls among questioners

WASHINGTON -- Gen. David Petraeus, meet your next commander in chief.

The top commander in Iraq found himself in the middle of presidential politics Tuesday -- literally -- as he was questioned by White House candidates during a congressional hearing.

The presidential hopefuls made a rare return to Capitol Hill for the high-profile session with Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker.

Republican Sen. John McCain elicited answers he hopes will bolster his call to stay the course. Democratic Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama argued U.S. troops should come home -- even if that means, as Obama said, "a messy, sloppy status quo" rather than sticking around for hard-to-achieve improvements.

They toned down their heated campaign rhetoric to fit the decorum of a congressional hearing -- avoiding criticizing one another by name and questioning the four-star general in measured tones.

But the divisions were clear. McCain said promises to withdraw forces "would constitute a failure of political and moral leadership."

"I fundamentally disagree," Clinton said later. "Rather, I think it could be fair to say that it might well be irresponsible to continue the policy that has not produced the results that have been promised time and time again."

McCain and Clinton sit on the Armed Services Committee; Obama serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

McCain asked questions designed to support his argument the U.S. should maintain its troop presence in Iraq and that withdrawal would prove disastrous.

He asked Petraeus about the Iraqi government's military operation to quell violence in Basra, recent attacks on the U.S.-occupied Green Zone, the threat al-Qaida poses in Iraq and Iranian involvement. He also asked Crocker about the likelihood of a long-term security arrangement in Iraq.

At the same time, McCain was able to put both officials on record that a certain level of troops is likely to remain in Iraq for years to come. McCain has said U.S. troops could be in Iraq for 100 years, citing the half-century or longer U.S. presence in South Korea and other parts of the world where forces are based to deter conflict, not fight one.

McCain was the only presidential candidate to get a chance for an opening statement besides his questioning as he's the top Republican on the committee. He used that nine-minute statement to put a positive spin on developments in Iraq over the past year, saying security has improved dramatically and political reconciliation has moved forward.

Clearly at odds with McCain, Clinton argued there has been a lack of political progress in Iraq to justify the increase in troops last year.

She said the fight diverts military resources from other needs around the world. She also cited studies on the increased mental strain on troops serving repeat deployments, with more than a quarter showing signs of anxiety, depression and acute stress.

She placed the blame not just on President Bush, but also supporters of his policy -- in other words, McCain.

"The administration and supporters of the administration's policy often talk about the cost of leaving Iraq, yet ignore the greater costs of continuing the same failed policy," she said, reading from prepared remarks that aides said she wrote.

"I think it's time to begin an orderly process of withdrawing our troops, start rebuilding our military and focusing on the challenges posed by Afghanistan, the global terrorist groups and other problems that confront America," she said.

Obama pressed Petraeus and Crocker on their standard for success in Iraq. The Illinois senator and Democratic front-runner said he worries that the goals -- completely eliminating al-Qaida and Iranian influences -- may be impossible to achieve and troops could be there for 20 or 30 years in a fruitless effort.

"If, on the other hand, our criteria is a messy, sloppy status quo but there's not huge outbreaks of violence, there's still corruption, but the country is struggling along, but it's not a threat to its neighbors and it's not an al-Qaida base, that seems to me an achievable goal within a measurable timeframe," he said.

Obama said Bush's troop increase reduced the violence, but the "breathing room" it created has not been used effectively as rivals jockey for political power in Basra. Obama argued the best way to resolve the political situation is by withdrawing troops in a measured way that increases pressure on both sides.

He also said any future steps should include U.S. diplomatic engagement with Iran. "I do not believe we're going to be able to stabilize the position without them," he said.