Boehner Repeats Calls for McChrystal to Testify Before Congress

House Minority Leader John Boehner on Thursday repeated calls for Democratic leaders to bring in Gen. Stanley McChrystal to testify before Congress on potential troop increases in Afghanistan, as well as the security situation on the ground.

"I feel more strongly than ever the administration should allow General McChrystal to testify," Boehner told reporters Thursday. "When General Petraeus came, it was a significant moment in that debate."

The Ohio Republican was referring the impact Gen. David Petraeus had when he testified on the troop buildup in Iraq. Likewise, some believe the top U.S. military commander in Afghanistan could help make the case for a buildup in that country, in the face of skepticism from many Democratic lawmakers.

McChrystal, expected to request thousands more troops, wrote in a recent assessment that the United States risks failure without more resources in the country.

But some Democrats argue there is a "chain of command" that McChrystal's troop recommendations must follow, and that they should be reviewed and approved before he can brief Congress.

"The chain of command is the issue, preventing him from testifying," Boehner acknowledged.

Boehner called on President Obama to clarify where he stands on Afghanistan, and accused him of questioning the strategy he laid out in March. The White House has downplayed the expected troop request, saying the overall Afghanistan strategy needs to be assessed before any such decisions can be made.

"We need more troops to implement an effective counterinsurgency strategy," Boehner said. "The longer we wait the more doubts we have."

"If the president won't make this case, who will?" Boehner asked.

Earlier this week, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., also agreed that McChrystal should brief Congress on his recommendations for revising U.S. military strategy.

"I think it would be useful at some point in time for General McChrystal to share with Congress, both the Senate and the House, his views and proposals," Hoyer said Tuesday morning.