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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Congress to hear update on Iraq | Congress to hear update on Iraq |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| The top US military and political officials in Iraq are due to deliver a progress report to Congress as Shia unrest in Iraq continues. | |
| Gen David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker are making their third report on President George W Bush's "surge" strategy, announced in January 2007. | Gen David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker are making their third report on President George W Bush's "surge" strategy, announced in January 2007. |
| It is taking on added interest because the three top contenders for the US presidential election will be present. | It is taking on added interest because the three top contenders for the US presidential election will be present. |
| It also comes after two weeks of violent clashes in Shia Iraqi areas. | It also comes after two weeks of violent clashes in Shia Iraqi areas. |
| After releasing their report, Gen Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker are due to testify before numerous committees. | After releasing their report, Gen Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker are due to testify before numerous committees. |
| Among those due to hear their testimony are Senator John McCain, the Republican choice for the November election, and Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, who are still battling for the Democratic nomination. | |
| The issue of Iraq has featured prominently in the Democratic campaign, with Mr Obama contrasting his opposition to the invasion to the support both Mrs Clinton and Mr McCain gave it. | The issue of Iraq has featured prominently in the Democratic campaign, with Mr Obama contrasting his opposition to the invasion to the support both Mrs Clinton and Mr McCain gave it. |
| Accusations fly | Accusations fly |
| Gen Petraeus will say that he wants to continue to withdraw troops until they reach roughly the numbers that were in Iraq before the surge began, the BBC's Crispin Thorold reports from Baghdad. | Gen Petraeus will say that he wants to continue to withdraw troops until they reach roughly the numbers that were in Iraq before the surge began, the BBC's Crispin Thorold reports from Baghdad. |
| It's a failure of leadership to support an open-ended occupation of Iraq Barack ObamaUS Democratic presidential hopeful Where they stand on Iraq | It's a failure of leadership to support an open-ended occupation of Iraq Barack ObamaUS Democratic presidential hopeful Where they stand on Iraq |
| That is expected to happen by July, when the general hopes to suspend further withdrawals and review security. | That is expected to happen by July, when the general hopes to suspend further withdrawals and review security. |
| Washington's strategy in the long term is to hand over control of the whole country to the Iraqi security forces, our correspondent says, but that may take some time. | Washington's strategy in the long term is to hand over control of the whole country to the Iraqi security forces, our correspondent says, but that may take some time. |
| Another part of the strategy is to back provincial elections due to be held in the autumn. | Another part of the strategy is to back provincial elections due to be held in the autumn. |
| Speaking on the eve of the hearings, Mr McCain suggested the Democrats were making promises about troop withdrawals they could not keep. | Speaking on the eve of the hearings, Mr McCain suggested the Democrats were making promises about troop withdrawals they could not keep. |
| Mr Obama hit back by saying it was a "failure of leadership to support an open-ended occupation of Iraq". | Mr Obama hit back by saying it was a "failure of leadership to support an open-ended occupation of Iraq". |
| Mrs Clinton said the Republican contender was pushing for "four more years of the Bush-Cheney-McCain policy of continuing to police a civil war" while other threats to the US mounted. | Mrs Clinton said the Republican contender was pushing for "four more years of the Bush-Cheney-McCain policy of continuing to police a civil war" while other threats to the US mounted. |
| Continuing violence | Continuing violence |
| Violent unrest continued in the main Shia area of Baghdad on Monday as Prime Minister Nouri Maliki threatened to bar supporters of radical cleric Moqtada Sadr from politics. | Violent unrest continued in the main Shia area of Baghdad on Monday as Prime Minister Nouri Maliki threatened to bar supporters of radical cleric Moqtada Sadr from politics. |
| The government, which is itself Shia-dominated, has been pressing for Shia militias like Mr Sadr's Mehdi Army to be dissolved. | The government, which is itself Shia-dominated, has been pressing for Shia militias like Mr Sadr's Mehdi Army to be dissolved. |
| Two weeks ago, the prime minister sent thousands of troops to the southern city of Basra in a failed attempt to force the Mehdi Army into submission, and hundreds died in heavy fighting. | |
| After a lull last week, violence between government forces and militiamen erupted again in Baghdad's Sadr City area on Sunday, and nine deaths were reported there on Monday. | After a lull last week, violence between government forces and militiamen erupted again in Baghdad's Sadr City area on Sunday, and nine deaths were reported there on Monday. |
| Three US soldiers were also killed in the city in separate incidents. |