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Democrats Push for Change in Iraq Strategy

DEBORAH AMOS, host:

From the studios of NPR West, this is DAY TO DAY. I'm Deborah Amos sitting in for Alex Chadwick.

MADELEINE BRAND, host:

And I'm Madeleine Brand. Coming up, a refugee from Iraq settles into a new life in Boise, Idaho.

AMOS: We also talk with an Iraqi psychiatrist about the traumas ordinary Iraqis are experiencing.

BRAND: First though, the White House continues to call for patience with its Iraq strategy. Here is White House Press Secretary Tony Snow on CBS's "The Early Show" this morning.

Mr. TONY SNOW (White House Press Secretary): I understand what Americans want, which is Americans pulling back off the major combat roles and eventually being there in supports roles, as the Baker-Hamilton Commission recommended some time ago and as the president's been talking about since as early as January. So we agree with that goal.

BRAND: And on the Senate floor today, Republican Senator John McCain, fresh from a trip to Iraq, reiterated his support. He said the current military strategy have shown some progress.

AMOS: But Democrats continue to pressure the president. Senator Carl Levin is co-sponsoring an amendment to begin a reduction and phased pull-out of troops in 120 days. And here's what he said today...

Senator CARL LEVIN (Democrat, Michigan): The open-ended occupation of a Muslim country by the West has played right into the hands of al-Qaida. And we need to bring it to a responsible end. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

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