Gates: Resolution would aid foes

WASHINGTON -- Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said yesterday that a congressional resolution opposing President Bush's troop buildup in Iraq undercuts US commanders and "emboldens the enemy."

He also said the Pentagon was now studying whether it could accelerate the deployment of the five additional Army brigades that it has announced will be sent to Baghdad between now and May to bolster security in the capital.

At his first Pentagon news conference since taking office Dec. 18, Gates was asked for his reaction to the debate in Congress over the effect of such a nonbinding resolution. "It's pretty clear that a resolution that in effect says that the general going out to take command of the arena shouldn't have the resources he thinks he needs to be successful certainly emboldens the enemy and our adversaries," he said.

Meanwhile, President Bush, on a collision course with Congress over Iraq, said yesterday, "I'm the decision-maker" about sending more troops to war. He challenged skeptical lawmakers not to prematurely condemn his buildup.

"I've picked the plan that I think is most likely to succeed," Bush said in an Oval Office meeting with senior military advisers.

The president had strong words for lawmakers on both sides of the aisle who are lining up to support resolutions opposing his decision to send 21,500 troops to Iraq. He challenged them to put up their own ideas.

"I know there is skepticism and pessimism and that some are condemning a plan before it's even had a chance to work," the president said. "They have an obligation and a serious responsibility, therefore, to put up their own plan as to what would work."

Gates talked to reporters as Senate Democrats prepared for the start of debate next week on the resolution of opposition to Bush's decision to send an additional 21,500 US forces into battle in Iraq. The Senate majority leader, Harry Reid of Nevada, said yesterday that a quick test vote would probably be taken if Republicans try to delay or block the move.

The general that Gates was referring to is Army Lieutenant General David Petraeus, who was confirmed by the full Senate yesterday to replace General George Casey as the top American commander in Iraq. Petraeus has said he needs all 21,500 extra troops Bush has called for in order to quell the raging sectarian violence in Baghdad.

"I think it's hard to measure that with any precision, but it seems pretty straightforward that any indication of flagging will in the United States gives encouragement to those folks," Gates said, referring to the anti government forces in Baghdad. He added that he was certain this was not the intent of those who support the congressional resolution.

"But that's the effect," he said.

Petraeus told the Senate Armed Services Committee at his confirmation hearing that he wanted all 21,500 additional troops in Iraq as quickly as possible. Gates said yesterday that they had discussed this further and that the Pentagon would see whether there are ways of speeding up at least some of the brigades.

"There some simply logistical constraints that make it difficult to do a lot" of acceleration, he said, "but I have asked people to look at it and see to what extent they could be -- or some portion of it -- accelerated."

Until now, the Pentagon had envisioned sending a brigade a month over the next five months.

Gates said US commanders in Iraq don't have a blank check; they request the number of troops they need, and senior Pentagon officials closely review those requests. The final decisions are left to Bush, he said.

"What we have done, I hope, is created an environment in which the commanders feel open to requesting what they think they need, and then we will evaluate it here in the department to see what's available and how much of that request we can satisfy," he said.

Asked about potential opposition in the Senate to confirming Casey as the next Army chief of staff, given the situation in Iraq , Gates said Casey was the professional military's first choice to succeed General Peter Schoomaker .

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday passed the resolution opposing additional troops in Iraq on a near party-line vote of 12 to 9, a day after Bush implored lawmakers in his State of the Union address to give his revised war strategy a chance to work. Several Republicans have lined up behind an alternative proposal that is also critical of Bush's plans to deploy an additional 21,500 troops, but in softer terms.