It's Time to Challenge Gen. Petraeus

[marmar]

from HuffPost:




Tom Andrews
It's Time to Challenge Gen. Petraeus
Posted April 8, 2008 | 05:49 PM (EST)



Dear Members of the House Armed Services Committee,

As a former member of your Committee, I urge you to pursue some of the troubling questions that were left unanswered by General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker during today's hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee.

The most serious is whether the surge of U.S. forces is making things worse, not better in Iraq both militarily and politically. In addition, can we afford to continue to fund sectarian combatants who have not shown the slightest inclination to compromise and reconcile?

It is crucial that General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker be challenged on these crucial points and that you use the opportunity of your hearing to separate myth from reality in Iraq.

General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker continue to portray the Maliki government as combating lawlessness in an effort to unite Iraq under the rule of law. I urge you to make clear that this is a dangerous departure from reality. In fact, Iraq is more bitterly divided now than before the surge began. This is because Mr. Maliki functions as a sectarian combatant seeking to use the leverage of his power - and US military backing - to weaken and defeat his sectarian rivals. This was on graphic display in the recent failed attempt of Prime Minister Maliki to defeat his Shiite competitors in Basra after dragging U.S. forces into the conflict.

General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker have cited as evidence of success the reduction in violence that has resulted from enlisting Sunni combatants who once killed American troops to fight Al Qaeda. It is important to point out the obvious fact that there is great danger in paying people not to shoot at us. We are funding former Sunni enemy combatants who are now demanding more money, distributed more quickly, or they will defect and go back to shooting Americans. Do they not see a danger in buying the allegiance of those who once attacked and killed our troops, particularly when they remain bitter enemies of their sectarian rivals? ......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tom-andrews/its-time-to-challenge-gen_b_95703.html

[gateley]

1. The Armed Forces Committee hearing this morning was limp.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing this afternoon had more bite - and several members did challenge Patraeus and Crocker. It was good to see!