Incoming Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has offered support to increase US forces in Iraq. Reid said a troop increase of two to three months is part of a broader strategy to bring forces home by 2008. He also claimed that a period of 18 to 24 months would be too long. Certain Iraqi Sunnis, such as Iraq’s vice president, support a surge in US troops to quell the sectarian violence.

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell expressed doubt that an increase in US forces would be possible, or even make a difference. “The American army isn’t large enough to secure Baghdad,” Powell said. He also described the US army as being “broken”, with a shortage of equipment, officers going on repetitive tours, and military gaps in other US-occupied countries. Powell stressed the need for Iraqi leadership to do what America couldn’t do.

In addition to Colin Powell, at least three Democrats opposed Reid’s position on sending additional soldiers. Jack Reed of Rhode Island said Iraqi adversaries would simply wait out the surge in US troops until they were reduced again. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts said there would be widespread opposition by members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, of which Reid and Kennedy are members, if the proposal were made. Joseph Biden of Delaware said an increase in troops should only follow a political solution to end the civil unrest.

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