Source:
WPostDemocrats Leery of Obama Iraq Plan
By Ben Pershing
Key congressional Democrats are expressing some discomfort with President Obama's plan to draw down troops in Iraq, worrying that the administration's strategy will leave too many American military personnel in the country after the "withdrawal" date of August 2010.
Obama is expected to provide some details of his plan during a speech Friday at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. The top House and Senate leaders from both parties and relevant committee chairs are scheduled to visit the White House today for a briefing on the plan, according to sources.
Initial reports suggest that the administration plans to leave as many as 50,000 support troops behind to provide training and perform some security functions after the bulk of the force departs Iraq. That's too many for the taste of congressional Democratic leaders.
In an interview aired on MSNBC Wednesday night, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) was asked about the prospect of leaving 50,000 troops in Iraq, and she responded: "I would think a third of that, maybe 20,000, a little more than a third, 15,000 or 20,000. ... We have to see what the purpose is, how it fits the mission of our national security, and why that number is important."
Top Senate Democrats expressed similar wariness today. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said at a briefing with reporters today that the 50,000 troop number was "a little higher than I anticipated." And Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said of withdrawal, "It has to be done responsibly, we all agree, but 50,000 is more than I would have thought needed to stay, and we await the justification why that many are needed."................
Read more:
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/capitol-briefing/
GET ALL OUT!!! EXCEPT TO PROTECT THE EMBASSY!
these dems are not leary--they are signaling OK!!