Portland Press Herald - "Allen Visits Iraq, Praises Effort of U.S. Troops"
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Portland Press Herald - "Allen Visits Iraq, Praises Effort of U.S. Troops"
Fresh from his first visit to Iraq, congressman and U.S. Senate hopeful Tom Allen praised the performance of American troops there Tuesday during an interview from Pakistan.
But he also reiterated his support for setting a fixed withdrawal deadline.
Speaking to Maine reporters by telephone during a stop in Islamabad on a trip that also will take him to Afghanistan, Allen, a Democrat who represents Maine's 1st Congressional District in the U.S. House, criticized President Bush's policy in Iraq.
During a 20-minute conference call with reporters, Allen made no mention of Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, whom he hopes to unseat in 2008.
"I believe we need to set a deadline and pull back over time," said Allen, who joined most members of the House last month in calling for a withdrawal of U.S. troops by next spring.
That measure, which the House backed on a 223-201 vote, would begin withdrawing American troops within 120 days and complete the process by April 1, 2008, leaving only a residual force in Iraq to protect U.S. interests, train Iraqi forces and conduct anti-terrorism strikes. The Senate has not backed a withdrawal deadline.
Allen left Washington on Sunday with six other members of Congress from both political parties and spent Monday in Iraq before heading to Pakistan on Tuesday. The group travels to Afghanistan today, marking the second time Allen has visited that country since 2002.
Allen has announced his candidacy for Collins' seat, and both candidates already are raising funds for their 2008 face-off. But Allen said nothing about his Senate bid Tuesday, focusing instead on the performance of U.S. troops and urging Congress to embrace a withdrawal plan.
Collins has opposed a Democratic proposal in the Senate calling for the withdrawal of most American troops by April 30, 2008. But she also has opposed Bush's so-called surge of U.S. troops in Iraq.
Collins supports recommendations of the Iraq Study Group, and she has co-sponsored legislation that would change the mission of U.S. forces from combat to other duties, including border security and training Iraqi soldiers.
"That would cause troops to come home," although the number of affected troops would have to be set later by military leaders, said Jen Burita, a spokeswoman for Collins.
Allen said the congressional delegation met with Gen. David Petraeus, another senior U.S. military official and U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker during the visit Monday to Iraq. Allen also said he met with soldiers from Maine.
He is the third member of Maine's congressional delegation to visit Iraq. Collins and Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe visited previously.
"What our soldiers are doing over there is phenomenal," Allen said, but Iraq "is clearly torn by enormous political challenges and political conflicts." The Iraqi government will have to develop a broad consensus if it is to succeed, Allen said, but "the challenges are great."
The United States must "set a deadline" for withdrawing its forces, Allen said in response to questions. Noting that he has voted to withdraw American troops by next year, Allen said the American military "can't simply sustain a force of 160,000" troops in Iraq without further lengthening tours of duty that have already been extended.
"We have to have a policy that works for the United States," he said.
The nation must "change the president's policy" in Iraq by setting a withdrawal deadline and debating "how to pull our troops out" by that deadline, he said.
Allen said a relatively small increase in the number of American troops in Afghanistan "may make some sense" to help fight insurgents there, but he said the United States may alienate Afghans "if we have too big of a footprint" in their country.
The delegation traveling with Allen includes Reps. Thelma Drake, R-Va.; Phil Gingrey, R-Ga.; Rush Holt, D-N.J.; Jack Kingston, R- Ga.; Jeff Miller, R-Fla.; and Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill.
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