The Briefing Room will liveblog today's Senate hearings featuring Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, and Amb. Ryan Crocker. Starting around 9:30 a.m., the two will give a report on the military surge to the Armed Services Committee. They go before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee at 2:30 p.m.

Both Democrats, who are seeking a troop withdrawal, and Republicans, most of whom warn of the consequences of an immediate pullout, will question Petraeus and Crocker over what to expect in coming months, as J. Taylor Rushing reported in today's Hill.

Today's focus will also be on the presidential candidates. Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) are on the Armed Services Committee, while Sen. Barack Obama is a member of the Foreign Relations Committee.

Andy Barr, Chris Good and Walter Alarkon will start liveblogging as soon as Petraeus and Crocker's testimony begins.

Photo courtesy of Getty images

6:54 p.m.: The Foreign Relations committee is wrapping up its hearing. Petraeus and Crocker are done with the Senate but will face two house committees tomorrow. As Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.) told Petraeus and Cocker "good luck."

Biden took one last shot at Crocker before adjourning, "no one thinks there is a diplomatic surge, no one, and we need to be surging."

That concludes the Briefing Room's coverage of the Petraeus-Crocker hearing. Check back at the Briefing Room for coverage of the Iraq debate and any other issue on Capitol Hill or the campaign trail. - A.B.

5:30 p.m.: Breaking from the slower question and answer pace conducted be previous Senators, Obama got through five exchanges with Petraeus and Crocker on topics ranging from al Qaeda in Iraq and increase Iranian influence. Obama attempted to get a clearer view of what Petraeus and Crocker would consider a "end game."

"If the definition for success is so high," Obama said "then that portends the possiblity of us staying for 20 or 30 years."

"If on the other hand we have a messy status quo" that does not "pose a threat," Obama asked "what is an achievable time frame?" - A.B.

5:23 p.m.: Hillary Clinton supporter Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) allowed Barack Obama to jump his place in line in order question Petraeus and Crocker ahead of Nelson because of an Obama scheduling issue. - A.B.

5:10 p.m.: Sen. Barbara Boxer's (D-Calif.) question for Petraeus was interrupted by a Code Pink protesters. When the protesters were not immediately silenced by capitol police Boxer yelled at the protesters to "hush up." - A.B.

4:40 p.m.: Talking about the Iranian Quds force, Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.) says the group's killing of coalition forces would normally be considered "an act of war." Coleman asked Petraeus what needs to be done to "send the message" that the actions were unacceptable.

Petraeus told Coleman his focus is on Iraq. - A.B.

3:10 p.m.: Ranking Member on the Foreign Relations Committee Dick Lugar (R-Ind.) says the "surge" has had "marginal" impact but that "Iraq will be an unstable country for the foreseeable future, and if some type of political settlement can be reached, it will be inherently fragile." - A.B.

2:49 p.m. Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Joe Biden (D-Del.) opened his committee's hearing with concerns about troop readiness, cost, and lost focus on Afghanistan.

We must acknowledge, Biden said, what the president refuses to acknowledge: the "increasingly intolerable cost" of occupying Iraq.

Biden also cautioned that "the notion that we are in Iraq to stay" with permanent military bases "is a propaganda tool." -C.G.

1:53 p.m.: The last exchange of the hearing sums up the main themes of the morning

Petraeus reminded Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.) said that Osama bin Laden and his deputy in al Qaeda, Ayman al-Zawahiri, view Iraq as their central front in the war on terror. "That is where we must roll them back," said Petraeus, echoing Republican arguments for maintaining a U.S. combat presence in Iraq.

But when Petraeus reiterated his call for "conditions-based reductions," Bayh, like other Democrats, was skeptical.

"And we don't know when that will be?" Bayh said.

"When the conditions are met," the general responded.

Petraeus and Crocker now go over to the Foreign Relations Committee, where Chairman Joe Biden (D-Del) and Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) await. The hearing starts at 2:30 p.m. The liveblog will resume then.

1:40 p.m.: Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) turned the discussion back to national security.

"Our troops not only want to know we appreciate them, their families and they want to understand how their sacrifice is directly connected with our safety and security here at home," Cornyn said. "Sometimes I think that gets lost in the debates on Capitol Hill. Traveling to Afghanistan, I of course was reminded of what happened in that failed state after the Soviet Union left."

Cornyn and other Republican supporters of the surge have used their questions today to stress the role of the surge in snuffing out al Qaeda in Iraq. -W.A.

12:49 p.m.: Clinton uses her time to get into the details of Petraeus’s recommendations.

She asks the general to clarify the conditions that would lead him to tell the president that the surge isn’t working.

“The conditions are unclear, they certainly lack specificity,” said Clinton. She added: “How are we to judge what the conditions are or should be and the actions you should recommend based on them?”

Petraeus said it’s not an “equation” and “not as mechanical as that.”

“At the end of the day, it really involves commanders sitting down in assessing where it is you can reduce forces,” he said.

Clinton seemed to be less than impressed with Petraeus's responses. As Petraeus answered her question about the Basra, she put her right elbow on the table and and propped her head up with her hand.

12:30 p.m.: Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a close ally of McCain, asked Petraeus what would happen if one brigade per month was withdrawn beginning in January 2009. That schedule is one that both of McCain’s rivals for the presidency, Obama and Clinton, have suggested.

Petraeus responded diplomatically. “It clearly would depend on the conditions of that time,” he said. “If conditions were good, quite good, that might be doable.”

Graham persisted. “Given now, at this point in time, is that something we could do?”

“I have advocated conditions-based reductions,” Petraeus said. “War is not a linear-based phenomenon. It’s a calculus, not arithmetic.” -W.A.

12:15 p.m.: Now Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) is going after the Iraqi military for its performance in Basra.

"Success always seems to be just around the corner when it comes to training and equipping of Iraqi forces," Collins told Petraeus. "When put to the test, Iraqi forces have performed very unevenly." She then cited accounts of more than 1,000 Iraqi government forces refusing to fight and fleeing their positions in Basra.

"My question to you is why should American troops continue to take the lead in combat operations at this pt, after years of training and equipping the Iraqi forces," she asked Petraeus.

The general responded by pointing out that Prime Minister Maliki had decided to confront the Shiite militias. And he noted the reduced violence due to the Iraqi forces in Anbar province.

Petraeus also explained that the forces who fled were a group out of "tens of thousands" facing "very tough militia elements." He also said that many of the forces were placed in "untenable situations" because of the speed at which they entered Basra. "I’m not in the least bit apologizing for them, but I do see the situation they were confronted with," he said.

Getting Iraqi forces to take the lead "isn’t a lightswitch," added Petraeus. -W.A.

11:35 a.m.: Democrats and Republicans are again differing on the outcome of fighting in Basra, where Iraq Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki ordered forces to go after Shiite militias. Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), while questioning Petraeus , said that Iraqi military forces "failed" in Basra, as the "potential for violence" between the militias and the Iraqi government still exists.

Petraeus acknowledged that the operation "did go much more suddenly than we expected." And he alluded to criticism Maliki has received for staging an operation without enough planning. "It is accurate to say that he thought it would be a bit more like Karbala and sheer presence and so forth would be adequate, that was not the case."

Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), seeing the Basra operation in a more positive light, suggested to Crocker that al-Maliki's move could reflect a confidence that's growing.

"Senator, I believe it is," Crocker said. "That's certainly the reaction I've seen from Iraq's political leadership." -W.A.

10:58 a.m.: John McCain shows off his knowledge on Iraq asking Petraeus detailed questions clarifying parts of the General's statement on Basra and Iran. - A.B.

10:46 a.m.: Protester interrupts hearing with chants of "bring them home, bring them home." The protester is quickly removed, but is applauded by some in the crowd. - A.B.

10:42 a.m.: Amb. Ryan Crocker told the hearing progress in Iraq has been “frustratingly slow, but there is progress.”

As Petraeus did with post-surge military progress, Crocker outlined political accomplishments in Iraq since September. Crocker said the laws passed by the Iraqi parliament since September “aren’t perfect, but they are significant.”

Also like Petreaus, Crocker cautioned that while progress has been made on the political front in Iraq the situation is fragile. “Challenge to the rule of law, especially corruption, are enormous,” Crocker said. “Iraq’s political progress will not be linear.” - A.B.

10:39 a.m.: Manu Raju just sent this from inside the hearing room:

When McCain was speaking, a protester from Code Pink was chanting, "There is no military solution," but Levin and Capitol police told them to be quiet.

McCain said, "I've had this experience previously, Mr. Chairman."

Another protester was escorted out because he was holding up a sign saying "McCain-Petraeus endless war."

About a half dozen protesters are packed into the hearing room, holding up signs saying 'stop killing Iraqis" and "surge of sadness." Some are wearing burkas.

Hillary Clinton is sitting next to Evan Bayh. They appear to be having warm exchanges from time to time.

10:15 a.m: Gen. David Petraeus told Congress progress in Iraq has been “significant and fragile.
Petraeus made his case for progress following the “surge” using charts to demonstrate a decline in violence and major attacks as well as a decline in influence from al Qaeda in Iraq.

The top U.S. commander in Iraq told Congress he "recommended a continued draw down of surge forces" to his commanders until surge forces are withdrawn in June. Petraeus then suggested a waiting period following surge draw down to reevaluate troop levels.

Petraeus concluded by warning Iraq could face a "resurgence" from al Qaeda in Iraq and that Iran or other regional player could destabilize progress.

The General urged Congress to approve the war supplemental by June. – A.B.

9:56 a.m.: McCain, the ranking member of the Armed Services Committee, said in his opening remarks that Americans can look forward to the “genuine prospect of success.”

“Our troops can leave behind a successful mission… to do this, we must continue to help Iraqis protect themselves,” he said.

McCain continued: “I also believe that the promise of withdrawal of our forces regardless of the consequences would constitute a failure of our political and moral leadership.”

“Congress cannot choose to lose in Iraq. We should choose instead to succeed.” -W.A.

9:46 a.m.: Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin (D-Mich.) in his opening remarks says that the conflict is "growing" and "has nothing to do with al Qaeda and everything to do with civil war."

"We need to put continuous and increasing pressure on Iraq to settle their differences," Levin adds. "The reasonable way to do that is to adopt a timetable." -W.A.