White House, Democrats defend Iraq envoy choice

The White House and Senate Democrats on Friday defended President Barack Obama’s choice for ambassador to Iraq, saying veteran diplomat Chris Hill was the right person to grapple with the complex political situation.

Hill’s nomination this week to head the important Iraq post was challenged by two influential Republican senators, John McCain and Lindsey Graham, who said Hill left a “controversial legacy” from negotiations aimed at scrapping North Korea’s nuclear program.

In an effort to address the concerns, Hill requested a meeting with McCain.

A McCain aide said they would meet early next week.

Critics have said Hill was not tough enough on Pyongyang as lead U.S.

negotiator in the multi-party talks during the latter part of the administration of former President George W. Bush. The United States took North Korea off a terrorism blacklist last year, but the talks deadlocked over a disagreement about how to verify Pyongyang’s nuclear disarmament.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Hill, the assistant secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs since 2005, had the skills needed for Iraq, where Obama has pledged to withdraw U.S. combat troops by the end of August 2010.

CONFIRMATION HEARING ‘AS SOON AS POSSIBLE’ The Senate must vote to confirm Hill, but that could be difficult if opponents decide to use a procedural tactic known as a “hold,” requiring the support of 60 senators to move to a vote on his nomination. Democrats only control 58 votes. Democrats hope concerns over Hill can be addressed quickly. He would replace Ryan Crocker as ambassador in Baghdad.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry issued a statement challenging what he said was the Republicans’ implication that Hill was responsible for North Korea’s detonation of a nuclear device in 2006, while Bush was president.