Democrats charged General David Petraeus's latest Iraq strategy was a blueprint for 10 more years of war, as they rejected "rosy" claims of battlefield progress and demanded a speedy US withdrawal.
The Democratic counter-attack came as President George W. Bush prepared to address Americans on future Iraq strategy on Thursday, and war commander Petraeus endured a roasting in Congress.
"President Bush's policy announced by General Petraeus is a path to 10 more years of war in Iraq," said Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the House of Representatives in a statement after meeting the president at the White House.
"General Petraeus' testimony to Congress drew a bright line: redeployment is not an option; endless war in Iraq is the administration's only option."
Petraeus said during two days of marathon congressional testimony that the "surge" of some 30,000 more troops into Baghdad was working, and that US troop numbers could recede back to around 130,000 by next summer.
But Pelosi slammed such a scenario as "an insult to the intelligence of the American people."
The White House said Bush would make a live televised address at 9:00 pm Thursday (Friday 0100 GMT).
Senate Democrats argued the surge had failed in its prime goal -- forging political reconciliation between Iraq's warring factions.
"We should stop the surge and start bringing our troops home," said senior Democratic Senator Joseph Biden.