Sept. 19 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. is ``in deep trouble in Iraq'' and needs help from allies in the region to secure the country and more economic development to win support from Iraqis, Republican Senator Charles Hagel said.

``The fact is, we're in trouble,'' Hagel, a Nebraskan, said on CBS's ``Face the Nation'' program. ``We need more help from our allies. We need the Iraqi people to come around in a more supportive way.''

Hagel and Republican Senator John McCain were among the lawmakers who said the election schedule in Iraq might be jeopardized by the continuing insurgency. In the latest attack, a suicide bomber blew up a car at a U.S.-Iraqi checkpoint in Samarra, killing three Iraqis and wounding at least three U.S. soldiers, Agence France-Presse reported. Militants also have kidnapped and killed foreigners working in Iraq.

The U.S. has about 138,000 military personnel in Iraq and President George W. Bush says they will remain in the country until Iraq has a new government that can handle its own security. Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, after meeting in London with U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair, vowed to stick with plans to hold an election in January 2005.

Bush, in his weekly radio address yesterday, said violence and terrorist attacks in Iraq might increase leading up to the elections as the insurgents try to block formation of a new government.

Eliminate Sanctuaries

McCain said the U.S. and its Iraqi allies must root out the Iraqi militants who have been holed up in several Iraqi cities, such as Fallujah, where the U.S. has launched air strikes against suspected terrorist hideouts.

``We're not going to have those national elections until we get rid of the sanctuaries,'' McCain, of Arizona, said on the ``Fox News Sunday'' program. ``Or at least they're not going to be effective.''

The Bush administration erred by not sending enough troops into Iraq after the invasion in March 2003, allowing the insurgents to gain a foothold, he said.

``We made serious mistakes right after the initial successes by not having enough troops there on the ground, by allowing the looting, by not securing the borders,'' McCain said.

Hagel, a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, said U.S. policy in Iraq needs ``a crisp, sharp analysis.''

``We didn't do that in Vietnam, and we saw 11 years of casualties mount to the point where we finally lost,'' Hagel, a Vietnam veteran, said.

He and McCain, also a Vietnam veteran, said the U.S. can't afford to lose in Iraq.

No Room For Failure

``The consequences of failure are enormous,'' McCain said, ``and the fruits of success will also be incredible.''

Allawi is on his way to the U.S. to address the United Nations and a joint session of the U.S. Congress, where he is scheduled to thank the U.S. for its support.

``Democracy is going to prevail,'' Allawi said at a London news conference. ``A lot of positive things are happening in Iraq. We are succeeding against the forces of evil.''

Senator Joseph Biden of Delaware, the senior Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, said Allawi's comments mask ``serious trouble'' in Iraq.

``There is some progress, but there's a fundamental disconnect between this rosy picture that is being painted and the reality of what's happening on the ground,'' Biden said on ABC's ``This Week'' program.

To contact the reporter on this story: William McQuillenin Washington at bmcquillen@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: September 19, 2004 15:29 EDT