LJWorld.com / Boyda wants more study of Iraq report

Archive for Wednesday, September 12, 2007

September 12, 2007

U.S. Rep. Nancy Boyda, D-Topeka, whose district includes west Lawrence, said she wanted to study President Bush’s proposed plan for a partial troop withdrawal more before she decided whether it was adequate.

“The devil is in the details,” Boyda said.

Bush has decided to reduce U.S. troop strength in Iraq by 30,000 by August, according to The Associated Press.

That would still leave more than 130,000 soldiers in Iraq, roughly the same number that were there before Bush ordered a surge earlier this year.

The announcement tracks the recommendations of Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. war commander, who has been reporting to Congress on the situation in Iraq for the past two days.

U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., said he agreed with the assessment from Petraeus and Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker that some troops can start coming home because of improvements to Iraqi security forces.

He added that he even hoped for a complete draw-down by summer 2008.

“Every member of Congress and every American wants to see our troops come home as soon as possible,” Roberts said. “However, it is important that we do not undermine our successes or create security threats requiring them to return.”

Boyda added: “I’ve never been for getting out immediately. We have to responsibly redeploy.”

Boyda said redeployment is necessary because the military has become overstretched in Iraq, which reduces U.S. readiness if needed elsewhere.

“The bad guys are not just in Iraq,” she said.

Boyda, who attended Monday’s hearings, said she was encouraged by the discussion.

“Gen. Petraeus understood that there is a lot of stress and strain on our troops. His mission is Iraq, but the conversation started to turn to what is going on in the rest of the world,” she said.