Congressman Roy Blunt has called on the Obama administration to allow General Stanley McChrystal to testify before Congress about his strategy for Afghanistan. But Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has said McChrystal should not go to the Hill before President Obama decides on a new policy.
"Six months ago President Obama appropriately called for a full review of U.S. strategy in Afghanistan. The president called on one of our nation’s most talented commanders, General Stanley McChrystal, to deliver an assessment of what should be done there. General McChrystal has done just that, yet we have no decision from the president," said Blunt in a statement.
Blunt noted that in 2007, General David Patraeus spoke to Congress weeks before his surge strategy was implemented in Iraq. "I would welcome the same opportunity to hear from General McChrystal about his plans to succeed in Afghanistan. If he can do ‘Sixty Minutes,’ he can update Congress," Blunt said.
AND: A key Democrat is siding with Blunt . . . Minority Leader Steny Hoyer has said he wants to hear from General McChrystal. "I continue to believe and recommend that General McChrystal -- at some point in time in the relatively near future, before we make a determination as to what we should do -- testify before the Congress, and brief the Congress. Perhaps in executive session, if that's necessary, but also testify before the Congress," he said.
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LAST WEEK: By a vote of 59-40, the Senate rejected a GOP attempt to force top Army commanders to testify on Afghanistan policy.
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