On Capitol Hill Tuesday, Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker was among a group of senators questioning the general commanding the Iraq war.

Gen. David Petraeus told the Senate Armed Services Committee that taking troops out too quickly would jeopardize recent security gains in Iraq.

Petraeus said he could not predict when troop reductions would be resumed or how many U.S. troops are likely to remain in Iraq by year's end.

"There's no question that the situation is better now. It's better than when the surge began," said Wicker. "And it's better than in September. It would take a major suspension of disbelief to conclude otherwise, to conclude that things are not much improved."

Petraeus' recommendation on troop levels was criticized by some lawmakers. Armed Services chairman Carl Levin called it "a plan which has no end."

The hearing was briefly interrupted by a protester repeatedly shouting, "Bring them home!" The protester was removed from the hearing room by Capitol Police.