Alexander Assesses Debate over War Funding

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MELISSA BLOCK, host:

Beyond this week's testimony, Congress will, of course, have to vote again to fund the war in Iraq. The current appropriation runs out next month. Democratic efforts to cut funds or attach a timetable for withdrawal have failed in the past. Republican Senator Lamar Alexander of Tennessee has been a key player in those debates. He joins us now.

Welcome back to the program, Senator.

Senator LAMAR ALEXANDER (Republican, Tennessee): Thank you very much.

BLOCK: Do you think, having listened to the testimony over the last two days, do you think that the White House, General Petraeus, Ryan Crocker have made a convincing case that the so-called surge is working?

Sen. ALEXANDER: Well, from a military point of view, I think the general and the ambassador have done that, and I think most analysts and those of us who've been to Iraq in August saw that in some places in Iraq it's safer because our military people and Iraqis who were fed up with terrorists have gotten together and are beginning to run terrorists out of neighborhoods.

BLOCK: So would you say that this changes your opinion of the war or of funding for the war in any way?

Sen. ALEXANDER: Well, not a funding for the war, because I've consistently voted to fund the men and women who are fighting there. But the one change is this, three words - province by province. I think what we've learned over the last several months, especially since General Petraeus has been there, is that changes in Iraq on a military basis and maybe even on a political basis are going to happen province-by-province, neighborhood-by-neighborhood. We hear a lot about Anbar Province. I saw three weeks ago some neighborhoods outside Baghdad where there was that kind of progress.

So what I've been hopeful for is that we could adopt the Baker-Hamilton bipartisan recommendations and change the mission of our troops in Iraq from combat to support, equipping and training. But it looks to me now like that's more likely to happen province-by-province than in all of Iraq at once.

BLOCK: Right. And if you listen to what General Petraeus was saying over these last two days, he's saying to focus only on training and advising would be premature. He keeps talking about population security, and that means combat.

Sen. ALEXANDER: That does mean combat. It's tantalizing. I liked what General Petraeus had to say. He's in the right direction with troops coming out instead of going in. And he's - he talks more clearly about a strategy than the White House has, frankly. He talks about a change of mission, a long-term defined presence in stepping up diplomatic efforts, but he seems to walk right up to the water but not jump in. I mean, it's almost Baker-Hamilton province by province on a Petraeus timetable.

BLOCK: Senator, do you think it's fair to say that Congress is as split on this issue as it ever was?

Sen. ALEXANDER: I think it's a little less split. At least some of the noises I hear from the Democratic leadership in the Senate over the last few days has been we're looking for a bipartisan compromise. I know that on the Republican side a lot of us would like to see that, too.

I believe there is more pressure for a consensus and, as I've said, I believe the Baker-Hamilton recommendations, which General Petraeus comes close to embracing, are the best basis around which to have that consensus.

BLOCK: Senator Alexander, thanks very much.

Sen. ALEXANDER: Thank you.

BLOCK: That's Republican Senator Lamar Alexander of Tennessee.

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