The Cable

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On the Hill: Hill confirmation hearing, Afghan-Pak strategy review briefing

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee held Chris Hill‘s confirmation hearing to become US ambassador to Iraq this morning. Though chairman Sen. John Kerry, ranking Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN), two former Bush-appointed ambassadors to Iraq John Negroponte and Ryan Crocker, and former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Zalmay Khalilzad, as well as Generals David Petraeus, ...

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee held Chris Hill's confirmation hearing to become US ambassador to Iraq this morning. Though chairman Sen. John Kerry, ranking Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN), two former Bush-appointed ambassadors to Iraq John Negroponte and Ryan Crocker, and former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Zalmay Khalilzad, as well as Generals David Petraeus, Ray Odierno and Defense Secretary Robert Gates have come out in favor of getting Hill into place in Baghdad quickly, Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS) took to the Senate floor this afternoon to vow to continue to oppose him.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee held Chris Hill‘s confirmation hearing to become US ambassador to Iraq this morning. Though chairman Sen. John Kerry, ranking Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN), two former Bush-appointed ambassadors to Iraq John Negroponte and Ryan Crocker, and former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Zalmay Khalilzad, as well as Generals David Petraeus, Ray Odierno and Defense Secretary Robert Gates have come out in favor of getting Hill into place in Baghdad quickly, Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS) took to the Senate floor this afternoon to vow to continue to oppose him.

"It is clear that Brownback is not going to be party to any compromise here," a Democratic Senate foreign policy staffer said. "This means the Hill nomination will be delayed until after the Easter recess. Bad news."

Also from the Hill, sources said that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) announced late this afternoon on the floor that US special representative Richard Holbrooke would lead a classified briefing for Members tomorrow afternoon on the Afghanistan-Pakistan policy review. "For the information of all Senators, there will be a classified Senators-only briefing tomorrow, Thursday, March 26th at 4:00 p.m. in SVC-217, to brief Senators on the Afghanistan/Pakistan strategy review," Senators were notified. "Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke will lead the Administration briefing team." UPDATE: Holbrooke is also briefing the House foreign ops subcommittee at 2:15pm.

Laura Rozen writes The Cable daily at ForeignPolicy.com.

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