Dodd says more U.S. troops not the answer in Iraq

http://www.boston.com/news/local/connecticut/articles/2006/12/21/dodd_says_more_us_troops_not_the_answer_in_iraq/

Dodd says more U.S. troops not the answer in Iraq

WASHINGTON --Sen. Christopher Dodd, concluding an eight-day Mideast trip Thursday, said that simply pouring more U.S. troops into Iraq won't end the violence there.

"There's no need for a so-called surge of some 20,000 to 30,000 troops," Dodd said during a telephone conference call with reporters from Tel Aviv.

Dodd said an influx of American soldiers would become "additional targets of opportunity" for Iraq's warring factions unless strong steps are taken to unify the country.

...

Dodd said the military commanders he spoke with in Iraq told him more troops are not needed unless Iraqi political and religious leaders show more determination to unify their country.

"My conversations with senior military commanders in Iraq, they confirmed that," said Dodd, who made his third visit to Iraq since the war began.

President Bush may not be certain he wants more troops in Iraq, but Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman is.

"After speaking with our military commanders on the ground," he said Wednesday in an e-mail, "I strongly believe that additional U.S. troops must be deployed to Baghdad."

http://www.courant.com/news/politics/hc-joeiraq1221.artdec21,0,3260896.story