Senator to quiz Petraeus on Afghan security

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin, D-Mich., Monday said he plans to press Gen. David Petraeus, President Obama's pick to lead U.S. and allied forces in Afghanistan, during his confirmation hearing Tuesday on his plans to expand the presence of Afghan national security forces in Kandahar.

During a breakfast with reporters, Levin, who has long pushed for the accelerated training and expansion of Afghanistan's military and police forces, called the numbers of Afghan forces now fighting in the southern Afghanistan hot spot "disappointing."

"Their leadership is critical to success, both in Kandahar short-term, and Afghanistan long-term, because the army has the support of the Afghan people," Levin said. "I think the worst nightmare for the Taliban is an Afghan army in charge," he added later.

Petraeus, the four-star Army officer who commanded forces in Iraq and now oversees both wars as head of U.S. Central Command, was chosen by Obama to become the Afghan war commander last week after Gen. Stanley McChrystal resigned from the post. Petraeus, who enjoys strong bipartisan support in Congress, is scheduled to have his confirmation hearing Tuesday before Levin's committee, which wants to expedite Senate consideration of his nomination.

McChrystal's resignation came after he and his staff made insulting comments about the president, Vice President Biden and senior members of the administration's national security team in a Rolling Stone magazine profile.

During Tuesday's hearing, Levin said he expects senators to ask Petraeus about the Obama administration's strategy in Afghanistan, particularly a July 2011 target for beginning the withdrawal of U.S. troops. Any withdrawal would be contingent on an evaluation in December by Obama, his national security team and Petraeus that U.S. troops are making progress in handing the fighting over to the Afghan security forces.

"I think he needs to be again on record on that issue [of beginning the withdrawal next year], to say why he agrees with the policy because, particularly on the Republican side, there are people who disagree with that," Levin said.

The chairman said the July 2011 date, which the administration set when it launched a temporary surge of additional troops into Afghanistan, sends a message to Afghan leaders that the responsibility for security "is going to have to be principally theirs."

Obama has called on the Senate to quickly confirm Petraeus, who is widely respected on Capitol Hill. Levin has said the committee could vote on his nomination as early as Tuesday, likely paving the way for a Senate vote before lawmakers leave for the week-long July 4 recess.