GOP senators differ with Bush on Iraq

WASHINGTON – Two prominent Senate Republicans bucked the White House on Sunday, expressing skepticism about sending more U.S. troops to Iraq and supporting greater dialogue with Iran, Syria and others in the region.

Sen. Richard Lugar, outgoing chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, urged the president to consult with lawmakers before announcing a new strategy on Iraq that could call for additional troops.

If Bush were to act without involving the new Democratic-controlled Congress, he can anticipate “a lot of hearings, a lot of study, a lot of criticism,” Lugar said.

Bush is expected to deliver his Iraq policy speech – laying out his plan to improve security, assist Iraqis in reaching a political reconciliation between warring sects and help with reconstruction – before his State of the Union address Jan. 23.

Sen. Arlen Specter, just back from a trip to the region, also questioned the wisdom of sending in more troops, saying he has not seen an administration plan that would justify it. “If there is a road map to victory, then I would be prepared to listen to what the president has to say about more troops,” he said.

Specter expressed support for the Iraq Study Group’s recommendations that the U.S. engage Syria, Iran and others in negotiations on Iraq’s future.

Lugar suggested that his committee, which Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., will lead beginning in January, hold a “retreat” to discuss Iraq, even before Bush’s expected address to the nation.

Lugar said the U.S. should not rule out conversations with Iran and Syria, as well as Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, regarding the instability in the region.

When asked whether he would support Bush’s plan for a “surge” of more troops into the country, Lugar said, “I don’t know whether I do or not.”

Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman, the Democrat turned independent, said he supports an expected recommendation by the White House for more troops in Iraq.

When asked if he could support sending “20,000 to 30,000” more troops, Lieberman said, “I can and I hope it’s exactly what President Bush does.”