Candidates to face off on Iraq at Hill hearings

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McCain criticizes Dems’ stance
April 7: John McCain accused both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton of being reckless in their pledge to immediately pull troops out of Iraq. NBC's Kelly O'Donnell reports.

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As Congress' most vocal supporter of the surge, expect McCain to ride the wave of Petraeus' accomplishments. "I think Senator McCain will try to elicit from the witnesses how better security has led to economic, political, and military progress and clearly defined the challenges ahead," said Graham.

Clinton made headlines last September when she told Petraeus, "The reports that you provide to us really require the willing suspension of disbelief,” so expect some critical comments from the former first lady.

Her Senior Advisor Philippe Reines said he "expects that the committee will question [Petraeus and Crocker] closely on the lack of political progress in Iraq, the rising influence of Iran in Iraq and the region and the strain on our military caused by the continuing presence of large numbers of troops in Iraq."

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As for Obama, his campaign says the senator will address the broader impact of Iraq on our national security, our military readiness, and our troops and military families.

On Friday, Obama told reporters that “essentially what we've seen both from the administration and from John McCain is a trumpeting of improvements from a horrific situation to simply a unsustainable and intolerable situation."

'Overarching, significant' issue
While calls for troop withdrawals have been recently muffled by foreclosure fears and the downturn of an already shaky economy, the war still looms large for Democrats.

U.S. causalities continue to mount, billions of dollars are being spent to fund the effort, and spates of violence continue to play loudly in the background. Just this Sunday, five U.S. soldiers died in attacks across the worn-torn country.

Even if Iraq falls off the front pages by week's end, Democrats insist it will still be a central issue for the elections.

"I am of the view--and I hope to be proved wrong--that it is still going to be an overarching, significant, political electoral issue in November," said Biden.