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September 9, 2007

Democrats Question Petraeus Report on Iraq
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1957DE2:A6F02AD83191E1606DAB684999A98C8D9574F7DCC14957C0 Senator Feinstein
says she does not think the report's author is an 'independent
evaluator' of the Iraq situation





Senator Dianne Feinstein of California, 17 May 2007U.S. Democratic
Party lawmakers are expressing doubts about a report on the situation
in Iraq set to be released on Monday.

Speaking on the television program Fox News Sunday, Senator Dianne  of
California said she does not think the report's author U.S. Army
General David Petraeus is an "independent evaluator" of the Iraq
situation.

On Saturday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada said White
House will likely twist facts in the report.

General Petraeus is the top U.S. military commander in Iraq. He and
the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker, are set to deliver the
report to Congress on Monday and testify before the U.S. House Armed
Services Committee.

The two are expected to describe trends in Iraq since the U.S. began
its so-called surge of additional troops earlier this year.

The Bush administration's Republican Party supporters say there are
signs that the surge has led to less violence in Iraq. Some Democrats
dispute that assertion, and continue to push for a timetable for the
withdrawal of U.S. forces.

In his weekly radio address Saturday, President Bush said he hopes
U.S. legislators will listen to General Petraeus and Ambasador Crocker
before reaching any conclusions.




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