Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Petraeus: "I Don't Know" If Iraq War Makes U.S. Safer




From my "Capital Games" column at www.thenation.com....

Did General David Petraeus today suggest that the war in Iraq may not make the United States safer?

During his second day of appearances on Capitol Hill, Petraeus this afternoon appeared before the Senate armed services committee. Fortified with charts and graphs, he presented the same we're-on-the-right-course pitch he delivered to the House armed services and foreign affairs committees (on Monday) and to the Senate foreign relations committee (this morning). During the Q&A round at the armed services committee, Senator John Warner, the Virginia Republican who used to chair the committee and who has called for beginning a disengagement in Iraq, took a few sharp (albeit respectful) jabs at Petraeus, noting that one intelligence report after another has said that political reconciliation in Iraq could be a bridge too far. He then asked Petraeus a pointed question: "Do you feel that [Iraq war] is "making America safer"?

Petraeus paused before responding. He then said: "I believe this is indeed the best course of action to achieve our objectives in Iraq."

That was, of course, a non-answer. And Warner wasn't going to let the general dodge the bullet. He repeated the question: "Does the [Iraq war] make America safer?"

Petraeus replied, "I don't know, actually. I have not sat down and sorted in my own mind."



Don't know? Is it possible that the war is not making the United States safer? Petraeus went on to note that he has "taken into account" the war's impact on the U.S. military and that it's his job to recommend to the president the best course for reaching "the objectives of the policy" in Iraq. Yet he did not say that the Iraq war is essential to the national security of the United States. Warner did not press the general any further on this point. The senator's time was up.

That was quite a statement from the fellow who is supposed to save Bush's war. He advocates pursuing Bush's course of action in Iraq but he cannot attest that this effort is crucial for America's safety. Is that being a good soldier?

Posted by David Corn at September 11, 2007 04:44 PM

20 comments:

capt said...

Mr. David Corn,

I think Warner exposed Petraeus as an insincere mouthpiece without a thinking mind driving the words.

I get the feeling Petreaus is being ordered to say what he is saying or worse.

I think his lies are only working on the media, pundits and Fox news types.

I return to the last emergency funding bill. Why did the Democrats cave? They don't need 60 votes - they only need to be smart about how they use 41 senators and i think we have that many.


Thanks

Kirk

David B. Benson said...

David Corn --- At least he was honest with that one reply...

Carey said...

I hear Bunnypants speaking but see Petraeus's mouth moving.

Yup! Well-said Kirk.

Mr. Corn,

Petraeus is not very smart, is he? That kind of took me by surprise. And the sheer political tone of his whole presentation. He sure sealed his credentials as a Bush crony.

I missed the Warner questioning. That's intriguing.

Dr B,

That's an excellent point! That's what makes that interchange stand out and probably why David wrote about it.

capt said...

Carey,

"It's gonna be in our ball park soon!"

I worry about assuming that.

We have the same evote issues, the same voter suppression efforts from the GOP. We have the Rovian push-polling, and dirty tricks (and I am sure some new ones). We have the GOP listening in on all phone and emails from or between the DNC and Democratic candidates.

Then of course we still have the steadfast idiotic Bush supporters that would die for their figurehead.

We have the MSM, Fox news, the Washington Times, WSJ, etc. that will all do their part to help the GOP.

Then there is the mountains of money and support from the corporate cadre.

Frankly, I don't think anything is a given.

Then there is the strong possibility that even a new administration will just function as a mouthpiece to the country doing whatsoever their corporate masters desire.

Sure it might be in our ballpark but there are still two teams on the field and we haven't even thrown out the game ball yet. Nine innings to go.


capt

capt said...

This is too funny:

Officials: Bush to adopt Petraeus advice on troop withdrawals

AND - the first thing I thought was . . .

Bush aslo agrees he doesn't know if the occupation in Iraq is making us safer. . .


HA!


capt

capt said...

"If two men agree on everything, you may be sure that one of them is doing the thinking."
~ Lyndon B. Johnson (1908 - 1973)

capt said...

DC's piece is topmost at Buzzflash!

About time his stuff gets more traction!

GO CORN!



capt

David B. Benson said...

capt --- At most one of them...

capt said...

Why doesn't the GOP want Ohio's voting machines tested?



Ohio Republicans have blocked a proposal to test electronic voting machines prior to the 2008 presidential primary.

By a 4-3 vote, Republicans on Ohio’s State Controlling Board blocked Democratic Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner’s proposed $1.8 million unbid contract for voting machine testing. Brunner had already set aside the $1.8 million for the test. Her specific request to the Controlling Board was a waiver for competitive bidding. Her office had hoped to complete all testing by November 30, 2007.

A former judge, Brunner is successor to the infamous J. Kenneth Blackwell, who helped engineer the theft of Ohio's electoral votes for George W. Bush in 2004. Brunner won election as a reform candidate, vowing to guarantee the public access to the polls---and an accurate vote count---in 2008.


More HERE

*****end of clip*****

The theft of the 2008 presidency began more than a decade ago.

They will steal the election. They will stand there with a straight face and say stuff like “sour grapes” and “the liberals are just mad because they lost again”, etc.

Who will stop them? They will certify the election before any court case is ever heard (just like they have been).

(Perish the thought)



capt

capt said...

Add,

I always hope I am wrong on the bad things and right on the good.

I am no soothsayer - I would have bet money on Bush never winning one election.


capt

capt said...

New TV Ad Campaign Launched Against Endless War Republican Senators



WASHINGTON – Americans Against Escalation in Iraq (AAEI) today announced a new ad campaign against Republican Senators Mitch McConnell, Norm Coleman, Susan Collins and Pete Domenici for their continued support of the President’s endless Iraq war policy, which leaves our troops in the crosshairs of another country’s religious civil war. The ad, called “Fatigues,” shows children going through mock basic training and will be aired by Campaign to Defend America for the next ten days with large media buys in each of the four states. Campaign to Defend America is part of AAEI the national campaign to responsibly end the war in Iraq.


Watch new TV ads “Fatigues”

Coleman:http://youtube.com/watch?v=Ge14Zvew7bo
Collins:http://youtube.com/watch?v=skR_7nXylek
Domenici:http://youtube.com/watch?v=m4fIo3jkqsM
McConnell:http://youtube.com/watch?v=Y88GZ5mWrqA

“Mitch McConnell needs to put his vote where his mouth is. It's September and the surge has failed. No more six month free passes for Bush. The ad reminds people that McConnell and other Republicans are pushing an endless war in Iraq--- somebody else's civil war,” said AAEI Campaign Manager and MoveOn.org Washington Director Tom Matzzie.

The ads illustrate recent statements by Gen. David Petraeus and others that the Bush strategy for Iraq would leave US soldiers in Iraq for nine to ten years. This is someone else's civil war, the ads say, so we cannot win.

“Let's get real about what ENDLESS WAR means for our military. We are running out of troops, we are running through our military. If we stick with the Bush Strategy – we need to prep our youngsters for war,” said John Bruhns, an Iraq War veteran. “Endless war is exactly what it means: endless war, unless we end it. We are running out of troops: Very simple, the military is BROKEN, we ran out of troops, troops are doing 15 month deployments on their third or fourth tours, and will go back for a fifth tour, because recruiting is down, Americans don't want to fight the war, patriotism is no longer enough so we have to buy patriotism for 20K in order to get Americans to enlist.”


“It is very important that we read more about Iraq, talk about Iraq and hold our political leaders accountable – particularly Mitch McConnell – for endorsing this endless war,” said Laurie Wolberton, a Kentucky mother of an Iraq veteran. “I want to send a message to other mothers about how important it is that we make clear we don't want our kids fighting in an ENDLESS religious civil war.”

Also today concerned citizens welcomed Republican members of Congress “Back to School” by delivering cardboard cut-outs, empty suits with notes, and hundreds of statements of conscience to their Washington offices to remind them that their first assignment is to take a stand against President Bush’s reckless Iraq War policy.

“I’m sure these Republicans hoped to put the dog days of AAEI’s grass-roots “Iraq Summer” Campaign behind them but now that August Recess is over, the pressure on Congressional Republicans to end the war in Iraq is greater than ever,” said AAEI spokeswoman Moira Mack. “The American people sent their leaders back to Washington with a single assignment for the fall: take a stand against President Bush’s endless war policy and vote to bring our troops home. After a summer of relentlessly urging them to listen to their constituents and vote to end the war, the American people expect results.”

Over the course of the campaign “Iraq Summer” organizers held 1,100 press events including rallies, press conferences, the “Take a Stand” town halls and vigils by AAEI partner MoveOn.org. Urging members of Congress to support the troops by ending the war, citizens and AAEI organizers planted 30,452 lawn signs (often in the Member’s immediate neighborhood), created 265 YouTube videos, and directly confronted Members of Congress on their war votes 125 times. In addition to organizers and volunteers, 480 veterans and military families joined the “Iraq Summer” Campaign.

“If Republicans thought the political heat back home was stifling this summer, it will be downright suffocating if they continue to support the President’s reckless Iraq policy,” added Mack. “With this week’s special deliveries Americans reminded Congressional Republicans that those who continually receive failing grades eventually get expelled.”


More HERE

*****end of clip*****

The ad running here in Albuquerque ROCKS! Watch it if you can.



capt

capt said...

DB,

One at most - indeed.




capt

David B. Benson said...

THE most important problem:

Very Bad News

David B. Benson said...

But on a more hopeful note, somewhere today I saw a paper about burning salt water in the presence of an electromagnetic field.

Somehow the hydrogen burns. Hot!

capt said...

Salt water as fuel? Erie man hopes so


Check it out -

More later

capt said...

"No man is great enough or wise enough for any of us to surrender our destiny to. The only way in which anyone can lead us is to restore our belief in our own guidance." -- Henry Miller (1891-1980) Source: The Wisdom of the Heart, 1941

=

"No man can emancipate himself, except by emancipating with him all the men around him. My liberty is the liberty of everyone, for I am not truly free, free not only in thought but in deed, except when my liberty and my rights find their confirmation, their sanction, in the liberty and the rights of all men, my equals.-BAKUNIN.

=

"Who ordained that the few should have the land (of Britain) as a prerequisite; who made 10,000 people owners of the soil and the rest of us trespassers in the land of our birth?" -- David Lloyd George - (1863-1945) British statesman, and Prime Minister 1916-1922 -

=

"The meek shall inherit the earth, but not its mineral rights." -- J. Paul Getty Oil magnate, billionaire


===

Thanks ICH Newsletter!

capt said...

Salt Water into Fuel

About 3 minutes of video of water burning. Very interesting


capt

David B. Benson said...

The problem with this is that the hydrogen in water is already 'burned', i.e., oxidized. So it is difficult to understand how one can get out more energy than you put it via the rf generator.

Yaknow, no such thing as perpetual motion...

Mookie said...

New thread.

capt said...

yep New Thread