Leading advocates say 'surge' must be prolonged

The leading advocates of an increase in U.S. forces in Iraq warned President Bush on Friday that any buildup lasting less than 18 months was doomed to fail, and urged the White House to avoid compromises that would scale back the plan.

The hard line taken by such backers as Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz) and retired Army Gen. Jack Keane comes as the Bush administration continues to debate the size and the scope of an expected troop increase. White House spokesman Tony Snow said Bush has "not entirely" made up his mind, even as he reorganized his top war advisors and began meeting with key members of Congress in advance of a major address next week.

Bush faces growing unease about an extended buildup among some congressional Republicans, who are concerned that it could stretch into the 2008 election season and doom their reelection chances. In the Senate, there are about five to 10 such Republicans, according to GOP aides, who are expected to push for time limits or firm conditions in return for backing the increase.

"For any kind of a surge, they would have to show that the surge itself was limited," said one senior Republican leadership aide. "It would have to be 6 months or a year, tops."

However, a strategy advocated by McCain and Keane, who has advised Bush on Iraq policy, calls for about 30,000 additional troops who would remain in Iraq from 18 months to two years. About 140,000 U.S. troops are now in Iraq. The plan has heavily influenced administration thinking and has strong advocates within the Pentagon and White House, setting up tension between those advocating a broad troop buildup and supporters of a more limited increase.

Read the rest at the LA Times

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