Petraeus the Politician

[Wiregrass Willie]

The Politician

by Charley Reese

Gen. David Petraeus proved my point. He's a political general. Worse than that, he said something in his Senate testimony that should infuriate the loved ones of every man and woman fighting in Iraq.

"Is everything you are doing over there making America safer?" Sen. John Warner asked. Petraeus tried to evade the question, but Warner wouldn't let him off the hook. "Is it making America safer?" he persisted.

"I don't know," Petraeus replied. In other words, maybe these nearly 4,000 young people who died and the 27,000 who have suffered wounds simply died and suffered for nothing. After all, their own commanding officer has now gone on record that he doesn't know if the sacrifices they are making are doing anything to make their country safer. That's a hell of a note.

Petraeus, like a true spin master, was trying his best to put a gown of optimism on the pig he brought to the dance. Like the bureaucrat he is (despite a chest full of ribbons, Petraeus has seen very little combat), he had his little charts and graphs purporting to show sectarian attacks and civilian deaths are down.

http://www.lewrockwell.com/reese/reese395.html

[ShortnFiery]

1. "civilian deaths are down"

Only for those civilians who are shot in the FRONT of the head ... well, those deaths are just non-existent! Would someone kindly inform the families? :crazy: :(

[notadmblnd]

2. I was reading somewhere in the last couple of days that this guy has Presidential ambitions

and it got me wondering; is that what they promised him to go along with their program? I mean his own boss called him an ass kissing little chicken shit.

[MUSTANG_2004]

3. I don't like what he's saying about Iran

But I thought this exchange was pretty reasonable. He's focusing on the mission, and not on "why are we here." I didn't think his answer made him look bad.