Kerry, McCain differ on Iraq solutions

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 (UPI) -- Two U.S. senators, both Vietnam veterans, Sunday offered differing views of the progress -- or lack of it-- made in U.S. strategy in Iraq.

Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., said it was time for the Iraqi government to "step up and make decisions that are out of the hands of our army, that are outside military solutions."

U.S. troops can come home honorably and U.S. interests can be met by political reconciliation, he said, otherwise "things are going to get more and more tense."

Saying he understood Americans were "sad, frustrated, angry and want us out" of Iraq, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said not enough time has lapsed to determine whether defense policies under Defense Secretary Robert Gates have turned around "four years of failure" under ex-secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

The United States can claim success because of improvements in "security on the ground," but the Iraqi government is "going to have to show progress" toward reconciliation in the next months, McCain said. If no real progress is seen with six months, he said, "very tough decisions" would have to be made.

Kerry said he wants a troop drawdown so the Iraqis take responsibility for the country's operation.