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Depending on which local member of Congress you talk to, Monday's testimony by Gen. David Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker was either reason enough to stick with the so-called troop surge or the answer to entirely the wrong question.

"There is enough in General Petraeus' assessment that gives me hope that we can contribute to stability in Iraq," said Sen. Richard Burr, a Republican who has been steadfast in backing President Bush's war strategy.

During a conference call with North Carolina reporters, Burr credited the troop buildup in Iraq with quelling violence and allowing local leaders to establish law and order. He was more critical of the Iraqi national government.

That was a sentiment shared by Rep. Howard Coble, a Greensboro Republican who has called for Bush to begin bringing troops home but refused to impose timetables on the military.

"I think that it's clear that military progress and advancements have been realized," Coble said Monday evening. "I think it's also clear the time has come for us to insist that the Iraqis roll up their sleeves and make some more convincing progress than they have thus far."

Earlier reports to Congress had shown that Iraq's political leaders had not met political goals needed to keep the country from further decaying into a violent morass once the United States and other countries pull out their troops.

Crocker strongly suggested that the administration's troop buildup had prevented problems beyond the almost daily killings and other sectarian violence.

In many of their remarks, Republicans also said they had faith in the credibility of Monday's reports. "I don't think anyone in good conscience can attack the credibility of General Petraeus or the ambassador," Coble said.

That is apparently a response to criticism from Democrats, such as former U.S. Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina who is a presidential candidate. During a debate Sunday he said Monday's presentations would be spun to bolster Bush's position.

Monday he said, "President Bush's Iraq strategy has failed, and Congress must not cave. Congress must support our troops by using every tool available to force the president to agree to a withdrawal."

Rep. Brad Miller, a Democrat whose district spans from Greensboro to Raleigh, said that he believes Petraeus testified in earnest but that Iraq was not exclusively a military problem.

"We're hearing different versions of how well the military operations are going in a country where the solutions are not military," Miller said. Like Burr, Miller said that the Iraqi government needs to make more progress.

But unlike Republicans, Miller said that the United States should begin withdrawing troops.

"I don't think we should leave our forces in the crossfire of a civil war," Miller said.

Rep. Mel Watt, a Democrat whose district runs from Charlotte to Greensboro, said that he was out of the Capitol for most of the day but monitored the hearings.

"(I)t appears that the thrust of the report is that the 'surge' of U.S. troops should continue into summer 2008," Watt said. "I strongly oppose this strategy. I opposed the war in Iraq in the first place and continue to oppose it. I support a draw-down of troops in the fastest manner possible without jeopardizing those left behind."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Contact Mark Binker at (919) 832-5549 or mbinker@news-record.com.