Does it matter that Kissinger and other senior officials say the war is lost?

Question

Also, via TPM Cafe, here’s Gen. Tony McPeak, who served on the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the first Gulf War:
The war in Iraq isn’t over yet, but — surge or no surge — the United States has already lost. That’s the grim consensus of a panel of experts assembled by Rolling Stone to assess the future of Iraq. “Even if we had a million men to go in, it’s too late now,” says retired four-star Gen. Tony McPeak, who served on the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the Gulf War. “Humpty Dumpty can’t be put back together again.“
What Kissinger, Odom, McPeak, and Reid understand is that the mission in Iraq has changed. The United States is now stuck in the middle of a civil war to which there is no military solution, only a political one.


http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/04/01/asia/AS-GEN-Japan-Iraq-Kissinger.php

Answer 1

Kissinger and Mcpeak served as top government officials. The key word being served. They are no longer in their previous positions and therefore do not have access to all the information their current counterparts have. They can say whatever they want but just because they once were senior officials does not mean they know what is going on now.