WPSU: Rep. Jason Altmire praises Gen. David Petraeus, troops

Suggested host intro: Pittsburgh Democratic Congressman Jason Altmire has come back from Iraq with mixed reviews of the situation. Matt Laslo reports from Capitol Hill.

NARR: Altmire says he came away from his two-day visit this week impressed with US troops and commanding General David Petraeus. But he says the real issue isn’t American forces – it is the Iraqi government.

ALTMIRE1-BACKWARDS :08 “Unfortunately, by almost every measure of progress they have not only failed to progress but have actually gone backwards.” 

White House officials say President Bush will ask Congress for an extra fifty billion dollars next month to pay for the troop surge. Many Democrats says that pricetag is too high. Altmire says he supports a slow withdrawal of US forces but thinks only the Iraqi parliament can fix that country’s problems.  

From Capitol Hill, I'm Matt Laslo, WPSU News.