Metro

‘Drumming’ up support for troop withdrawal

WASHINGTON — President Obama visited upstate Fort Drum yesterday to defend his plan to withdraw 33,000 troops from Afghanistan — as lawmakers back in the Beltway continued to shoot down the idea.

Speaking to the storied 10th Mountain Division, Obama praised the bravery of US forces that have led the fight against the Taliban and al Qaeda.

“We’re not doing it precipitously,” he said of the pullout plan. “We’re going to do it in a steady way, to make sure that the steady gains that all you helped to bring about are going to be sustained.”

Republicans ripped Obama for overriding recommendations of top military leaders.

“There are times when you have to stand up and do the right thing, and the president didn’t do that,” Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) told The Post. “When combat troops are withdrawn before the country is pacified, you put those forces that are remaining in greater danger.”

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) called plans to pull out 10,000 troops by the end of the year and another 23,000 by the end of summer 2012 a “substantial deviation” from the counterinsurgency plan devised by Gen. David Petraeus, head of military operations in Afghanistan.

Obama even drew fire from his political base in New York.

Rep. Jerold Nadler (D-Manhattan) criticized Obama for perpetuating the nearly 10-year war.

“He didn’t say he’s going to pull out; he said he was going to stay for 3½ years,” Nadler fumed.

geoff.earle@nypost.com