From PRI, Public Radio International and KCRW Santa Monica, this is To the Point.

General David Petraeus on Capitol Hill.

Hello again, I'm Armin Alney, and this is To the Point from Public Radio International.

The Daily look at the issues, Americans care about most.

General David Petraeus told Congress today that improved security means U.S. forces

can be reduced sometime in the future.

But the essence of the message has been telegraphed, and polls show public skepticism

that he is independent of the Bush White House.

Even before he spoke, some Democrats said they had doubts about what he would say.

Republicans were outraged, his credibility was questioned.

On to the point, the debate on Iraq, will the Bush administration finally define its objectives?

On reporter's notebook later on, a former leader of Pakistan comes home, then goes.

First, here's the news.

Support for To the Point comes from subscribers of KCRW Santa Monica and from the Public Radio International Program Fund,

whose contributors include the Ford Foundation and the John D. and

Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Hello again, Mormon Alney, back with To the Poet. General

David Petraeus' long-awaited testimony finally got off to a very slow start today, but the partisan

wrangling had already begun. We'll get several reports and commentaries. On reporters' notebook,

Pakistan's former prime minister

re-enters the country, but he's deported almost immediately. We'll hear what the consequences

of that might be. First, this news update before General Petraeus or Ambassador Crocker said a word

to the Joint Committee of Congress, Democrats and Republicans were exchanging partisan charges.

...