WASHINGTON — The man chosen by President Bush to become his new "war czar" told Congress on Thursday that national security advisor Stephen Hadley would no longer be responsible for Iraq policy, indicating the administration has quietly engineered a significant change in foreign policy leadership that could directly affect U.S. war strategy.
Army Lt. Gen. Douglas E. Lute testified at his confirmation hearing that he would be reporting directly to Bush on all issues involving the war, as well as the conflict in Afghanistan, while Hadley would deal with the president "on matters outside of Iraq [and] Afghanistan."
The testimony stunned leading Democrats and at least one Republican. They appeared taken aback by the extent of the shake-up in Bush's inner circle of advisors -- particularly the diminished role Hadley will play.
"Afghanistan, Iraq and, related to that, Iran are the most critical foreign policy problems we face, and the national security advisor of the United States has taken his hands off that and given it to you?" asked Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), a former Army officer who described himself as a longtime friend of Lute's.
"Then he should be fired," Reed said. "Because frankly, if he's not capable of being the individual responsible for those duties and they pass it on to someone else, then why is he there?"
The new roles could have a significant impact on White House policy. Hadley has been central to the administration's Iraq planning since he assumed the national security advisor job last year. Most important, he has been widely viewed as the most prominent proponent of the administration's "surge" strategy, pushing the policy of building up troops in Baghdad over the skepticism of some commanders in Iraq.
Lute was one of the senior military officers who initially opposed the troop increase. In written answers provided to the committee, Lute said he had raised concerns during internal administration debates in January, saying he believed "a military surge would likely have only temporary and localized effects" without corresponding efforts by Iraqis and nonmilitary U.S. agencies.
The White House chose Lute, a three-star general, for the war czar post after several retired four-star generals turned the job down.
It is highly unusual for a national security advisor to remove himself from the most pressing foreign policy issue of the day. Some of the most prominent people to hold the job -- such as Henry A. Kissinger and Zbigniew Brzezinski -- came to embody, and sometimes overshadow, their bosses' views on events like the Vietnam War and detente with the Soviets.
