WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Rep. Joe Donnelly, D-Granger, is among the many House Democrats ready to hold President Bush’s feet to the fire concerning the president’s revised Iraqi war strategy outlined in a prime-time speech Wednesday.

“My job is to ask tough questions, to make sure progress is being made, that benchmarks are met, that Iraqis take the lead in the fight and as soon as stability is increased our troops can come home,” Donnelly told The La Porte County Herald-Argus this morning. “The mood of Congress is that we will take a strong oversight role.”

That role will be to make sure progress is made under the president’s altered military strategy. The escalation of violence in the region, said Donnelly, cannot continue.

“There’s been an endless drift in Iraq and that has to stop. Progress has to occur this year. (Iraq) has to be brought under control and brought under control by Iraqis.”

Donnelly voiced major concerns over the president’s plan to increase troop levels by 22,000, on top of the 130,000 are already in Iraq.

The congressman wants troops used in a more advisory capacity rather than manning the frontlines. That work, he said, needs to be left to Iraqi soldiers and police.

“We want our troops used as assistance, in a leadership role. The fighting in Baghdad neighborhoods should be done by the Iraqis.”

While Donnelly finds it a bit refreshing to hear more “realistic” talk from Bush, the congressman isn’t completely sold on the approach moving forward.

“I’m glad that he’s leveling with us. The American people were ahead of him on this. We waited for the truth years ago,” he said.

“I am very hopeful we’ll have stability by year’s end. This is one of the last plays the president has in his book because there aren’t that many other options.”

Bush didn’t find a whole lot of support for his plan from another Democrat, Sen. Evan Bayh. In a prepared statement, Bayh called Bush’s new strategy “more of the same.”

Sen. Richard Lugar offered strategic objectives that should be met in determining the country’s course in Iraq, including preventing Iraq from being a safe haven for terrorists, preventing civil war, maintaining the U.S.’s credibility worldwide and preventing greater Iranian influence in the Middle East.