Johnny Isakson
Lamar Alexander

WASHINGTON — With Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, scheduled to testify before Congress today, Tennessee and Georgia lawmakers say they hope to hear him outline plans to end the war and increase diplomatic and political efforts.

“There is no question that our troops have done all we’ve asked of them, and we have had great success with our military operations in Iraq,” Rep. Lincoln Davis, D-Tenn., said. “What we need to hear from Gen. Petreaus is a workable strategy for political, as well as military, success that takes this war in a different direction.”

Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., who repeatedly has urged the administration to consider the bipartisan Iraq Study Group recommendations, said Iraqis need to become more involved politically in stabilizing the region so that U.S. troops can move out of a combat role.

“A new diplomatic surge needs to be led by the Iraqis,” he said. “They can do more to persuade their neighbors to put embassies in their capital. They can begin paying more of their own bills. It’s up to them whether they can reconcile their sectarian differences.”

Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., who sits on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the troop increase ordered last year by President Bush is making progress in reducing sectarian violence in Iraq. Now comes the difficulty of getting the Iraqi government stabilized, he said.

“What I hope (Gen. Petraeus) will say is what’s next,” Sen. Isakson said. “The surge was a strategy militarily to bring about stability, and stability, in turn, gives us a chance to make political progress in Iraq.”

The general, who will testify with U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker before the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services committees today, is expected to reiterate his plans to draw down troops through July to pre-increase levels while cautioning against a full-scale withdrawal to ensure the region is stable.

They will testify before the House Foreign Affairs and Armed Services committees Wednesday.

Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said he hopes to hear either from Gen. Petraeus or the White House their game plan to end the war.

“I’m looking for an articulation as to how we get to the end,” Sen. Corker said. “We’re at a point in the conflict where an articulation of the endgame needs to be made.”

Gen. Petraeus’ testimony is likely to be politically charged theater, as Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have disagreed strongly with President Bush’s war strategy, saying it has led to increased terrorist threats from Iran and reduced U.S. credibility worldwide.

“Iraq has not been a failure of resolve, it has been a failure of strategy — and that strategy must change,” Sen. Obama said late last month. “It is time to bring a responsible end to this conflict now.”

Republican presidential candidate John McCain has been more supportive of the war.

Col. Jeffrey Holmes, commander of the Tennessee National Guard’s 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment, said he and his soldiers are pleased with the progress being made in Iraq, but he said much of the political rhetoric against the war has been misguided.

“I think a lot of the comments are politically driven, and I think it’s unfortunate,” Col. Holmes said. “They’re losing sight of what’s going on in the world. The global war on terrorism is much larger than Iraq, and there needs to be a commitment from the entire country to combat this evil.”