Susan Collins: “The resolution we drafted very carefully distinguishes between the sectarian violence engulfing Baghdad, where the…”

“The resolution we drafted very carefully distinguishes between the sectarian violence engulfing Baghdad, where the Senator and Senator Nelson believe it would be a huge mistake for additional American troops to be in the midst of that, versus a very different situation in Anbar Province. In Anbar, the violence is not sectarian; the battle is with al-Qaida and with foreign fighters, the Sunni insurgencies, so we have Sunni versus Sunni. It is not sectarian. And what is more, local tribal leaders have recently joined with the coalition forces to fight al-Qaida. It is a completely different situation in Anbar. I do support the addition of more troops in Anbar. Indeed, the one American commander whom I met with in December who called for more troops in Anbar was General Kilmer.”