US lawmakers hail 'overdue' talks with Iran, Syria

"This development is long overdue. I hope this is the first step in a more comprehensive diplomatic effort by the Bush administration to begin to bring all countries in the region together to help stabilize Iraq and begin redeployment out of that country," US Senator Chris Dodd, a 2008 Democratic presidential contender, said Wednesday.

"I'm disheartened to hear, however, that these talks will be strictly about Iraq and not other critical issues, such as terrorism and nuclear weapons programs, which must be addressed and resolved as quickly as possible," Dodd said in a statement.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said at a congressional hearing Tuesday that the United States would attend the ministerial level meeting of Iraq's neighbors, including Iran and Syria, as well as other world powers to discuss Iraq's future.

The meeting, expected in early April, will follow a lower-level meeting announced by Baghdad Tuesday of Iraq's neighbors plus the five permanent members of the UN Security Council -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States.

Republican Senator Chuck Hagel (news, bio, voting record), another likely presidential hopeful, also praised the news.

"This is an important diplomatic initiative taken by the Iraqi government. We will not achieve peace and stability in Iraq without a regional framework that includes Iran and Syria," he said.

"This conference can be an important first step towards creating that framework," said Hagel.

Another top lawmaker, Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid (news, bio, voting record), said that outreach to the two nations should have taken place "some time ago."

"We're years behind having done that. It's so important that we understand the war will be won diplomatically, not militarily. We need a diplomatic surge, not a military surge," Reid said, referring to Bush's plan to introduce 21,500 additional US combat troops in Iraq.

"As the Iraq Study Group said, the president and his administration should reach out to the Syrians and the Iranians. I support these talks. They should have happened some time ago," said Reid.

Democratic US Senator James Webb (news, bio, voting record), one of a number of new lawmakers swept into office in November on a wave of nationwide dissatisfaction over the Iraq war, said in a statement a regional approach is the only one that will work in helping stabilize war-torn Iraq.

"The expectations the administration has placed on the (Nuri) al-Maliki government are greater than Iraq's ability to meet them without a regional approach," said Webb.

"It is gratifying that the United States is now working on a diplomatic effort equal to the contributions and sacrifice our military forces have made. Its time to break out of our strategic mousetrap in Iraq."

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