US Senate heavyweights call for more troops in Iraq

[Ron Burgundy]

AFP - A high-level US congressional delegation visiting Iraq called Thursday for between 15,000 and 30,000 more US troops to be sent to bring stability to the war-torn country.

BAGHDAD (AFP) - A high-level US congressional delegation visiting Iraq called for between 15,000 and 30,000 more US troops to be sent to bring stability to the war-torn country.

"The situation is very, very serious. It requires injection of additional troops to control the situation and allow the political process to proceed," said Arizona's powerful Senator John McCain.

Asked how many additional troops would be needed, McCain said: "I'm not an expert, but five to 10 additional brigades are being discussed."

McCain -- who is widely expected to compete for the Republican nomination for the 2008 presidential election -- said he talked about the issue with US commanders and Iraqi officials at his delegation's meetings in Baghdad.

"We are closely discussing with leadership here and our other government officials including our ambassador as to what needs to be done and certainly not ruled out the option of more troops here," he said.

"That is being actively discussed in the White House, in the Congress and here."

McCain justified the need for additional troops saying Iraqi military was still incapable of restoring stability in the country.

"Iraqi military is not capable to do it on their own. Period. It requires American support. A highly skilled, a highly professional American military will be beneficial to handle the situation."

"I do not know where they will come from. I am told time after time that United States can handle other contingencies like North Korea and Iran so it seems to me that we can come up with troops to have here."

Four of the other five members of the delegation, which included independent Connecticut Senator Joseph Lieberman, who was the Democratic vice-presidential candidate in 2000, also supported the call for more troops.

"I feel strongly that more troops are required here," said Lieberman, whose pro-war stance forced him to seek reelection this year on an independent ticket.

Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, also backed McCain's proposal, saying a larger force was needed to stem the chaos threatening to engulf the country.

"I think it is most important to send more troops quickly. People are getting murdered and kidnapped. We need an overwhelming troop presence," he said.

McCain also lashed out at radical Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, whose supporters hold several ministries in the Iraqi government and 32 seats in parliament.

Sadr also heads a powerful militia, the Mahdi Army believed to be responsible for many extra judicial killings and attacks on Sunni civilians.

"We should have arrested Moqtada al-Sadr three years ago," said McCain. "He continues to be a major obstacle to peace, his influence in domestic politics needs to be eliminated dramatically."

The last time US forces attempted to arrest Sadr, a series of pitched battles erupted between his militiamen and US forces in 2004 in Baghdad and in the southern city of Najaf, lasting for weeks.

Lieberman said a strong message had been delivered to Iraqi leaders that militias needed to be tackled.

"We were quite explicit to every body how important it is that they begin to take aggressive action to disarm the militias to stop sectarian violence."

But Senator Susan Collins from Maine who was on her third trip to Iraq restrained from supporting the idea of additional troops.

"The fact is that Iraq is in crisis. There can be no doubt that the current strategy in Iraq has failed to deliver the peaceful stable nation that we had hoped."

"The question is what do we do now. I am not yet convinced that more troops will pave way for peaceful Iraq. I do not know whether more troops will curb sectarian violence."