Democrats attack Iraq testimony

The two leading US figures in Iraq are facing criticism at a hearing in Congress from Democratic presidential candidates opposed to the war.

Senators Joe Biden and Barack Obama told military commander David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker the troop build-up had failed to achieve peace.

Gen Petraeus and Mr Crocker have been testifying for a second day.

Both repeated their contention that the military "surge" in Iraq was working, and warned against a rapid withdrawal.

Sen Biden - who chairs the Foreign Relations Committee - said the build-up had failed to promote reconciliation Sunnis and Shia, and was at best "a stopgap that will not prevent chaos".

He concluded: "We should stop the surge and start bringing our troops home."

Sen Obama - one of the Democratic nomination frontrunners - called the war a "disastrous foreign policy mistake" and said the impact of the surge had been modest given the resources.

Sen Christopher Dodd, another presidential candidate, said: "I don't get a feeling here that there's any real opportunity or optimism, that this is going to get better."

John Kerry - the defeated Democratic candidate in the 2004 election - questioned the commitment of the Iraqi politicians who he said were stalling while US soldiers sacrificed their lives.

"Is it acceptable that young Americans are dying and being grievously wounded while Iraqi politicians delay and delay and delay meeting their own standards?" he asked.

the senators' questions will be watched carefully by the party's grassroots supporters, where opinion is running strongly against the continued presence of US troops.

During Tuesday's testimony Gen Petraeus again insisted that the increase in US troop levels had reduced the violence and insisted that "some type of success in Iraq is possible".

Mr Crocker agreed that the surge had "helped change dynamics in Iraq for the better".

"I do believe that Iraq's leaders have the will to tackle the country's pressing problems, although it will take longer than we initially anticipated," he said.

Mr Crocker also emphasised signs of economic progress, pointing to a projected 6% growth for the Iraqi economy in 2007.

Some Republicans senators voiced unease about the Bush administration's policy on Iraq.

Sen Richard Lugar said: "As policymakers, we should acknowledge that we are facing extraordinarily narrow margins for achieving our goals."

Sen Chuck Hagel, an opponent of the war, asked: "Are we going to continue to invest American blood and treasure at the same rate as we are now? For what?"

But other Republicans expressed support for the administration and its policies.

Sen Bob Corker denounced a newspaper advertisement taken by the political activist group MoveOn.org attacking Gen Petraeus.

During Monday's joint hearing of the House of Representatives Armed Services and Foreign Affairs committees, Gen Petraeus said violence had declined since more US troops were sent to Iraq.

He added that about 30,000 troops could be withdrawn by the middle of next year.

A record 168,000 US troops are now in Iraq after 30,000 arrived in the surge between February and June.