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GOP Questioning Iraq Troop Withdrawal

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    Louisiana Senator David Vitter weighs in

  • Duration 3:00
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-- a number of senators from the armed services committee are calling for hearing on the Iraq withdrawal saying it could compromise both the US and Iraqi national security interests.

Joining us now is one of those member senator David David better.

Of Louisiana senator thank you so much for joining us today thank you Shannon thanks for the invite all right so you're calling for you -- at least senator Carl Levin who heads up that committee to run happy hearing about this.

But with the president being commander in chief isn't that solely his decision.

Well well it is his commander in chief but I think congress has very important oversight responsibility.

And certainly it's appropriate ought not armed services committee look hard at it.

We're in charge of authorizing actions by the military and also congress is in charge of funding that.

And we have some strong concerns that this complete pullout virtually overnight.

There's really gonna hurt our interest there everybody wants our man in and men and women in uniform to get home as soon as possible.

But we need to be careful that the gains we have built over several years that great sacrifice.

Don't just crater.

-- I want to read a little bit of that letter that she center and expressing this concerns that says ask you know the complete with all of our forces from Iraq is likely to be viewed as a strategic victory.

By our enemies in the Middle East especially the -- running regime.

Every senior military commander we have heard from on repeated visits to Iraq.

Has stated -- US national security interest and -- -- needs of Iraq's military require a continued presence of US troops in Iraq.

Beyond 2011 to safeguard the gains that we and our Iraqi partners have made.

I can you tell us anything about -- about -- the senior military commanders would be would you expect them to testify and in any way.

Be in conflict with what the president's decided to do.

Well that's why we want to have a hearing to have that sort of discussion.

But I don't think it's any secret that Milledge -- the -- military leadership.

Particularly -- is on the ground in Iraq.

Think we need some.

Smaller continued.

Presence and that we really risk giving up all of our gains if we pull out of this.

Dramatically again everybody wants.

Our men and women in uniform home safely but none of us should want those gains.

Which were -- great sacrifice American.

Treasure and blood quite frankly to crater and to go down the drain.

Well the one man who knows why and how he made the decision is the president himself.

Would you attempt to call him -- subpoena him before the committee.

I think that would be relatively unprecedented probably not.

But again we're very concerned that that.

Announcement was perhaps more about politics and national security.

And -- we need to really look at our long term interest clearly the plan you just outline for our troops being station.

Elsewhere in the Middle East is pretty much an admission of the danger I'm talking about we should be talking about looking at a very carefully.

Right senator David better we will watch and see if that hearing comes your -- we will cover it as well thank you for your time --

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