"Suspend belief" You betcha', Rudy?

Question

Direct quotes from General David H. Patraeus to the American people:

“I see tangible progress.”
“Iraqi security elements are being rebuilt from the ground up.”
“Iraqi leaders are stepping forward…”
“…there has been progress.”
“…protection forces are performing a wide variety of security missions”
“Training is on track…”
“Infrastructure is being repaired.”
“Iraqi security forces are in the fight…”
“…recently contributed to successful operations in Najaf.”
“…another highly successful operation…”
“…will complete training in January, in time to help with security missions…”
“Iraqi National Guard battalions have also been active…”
“…are conducting operations on a daily basis…many independently”
“Progress has also been made in police training.”
“…specialized training for Iraq’s border enforcement…”
“…units are not fully equipped. But equipment has begun flowing”
“…progress is also being made in the reconstruction and refurbishing…”
“…as Iraq reestablishes its security forces.”
“…desire to assume the full burden of security tasks for Iraq.”
“Iraq’s security forces are, however, developing steadily…”
“It will not be easy, but few worthwhile things are.”

Unfortunately those words were in an OP-Ed column he wrote for the Washington Post on September 26, 2004. Two months later the Coalition Forces suffered their worst losses ever, 137 deaths in November, 2004. Since that OP-ED piece 2714 Coalition Forces and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis have been killed. How can General Patraeus can sit before US Congressional Committees three years later and tell us the same things? What gall!

Here’s another quote from an earlier era:

“Then I'll get on my knees and pray...We don't get fooled again”
Pete Townshend, The Who, 1971

Answer 1

Yeah, Petraeus is a "political general". This would be great if he was retired like Wesley Clark or the legion of other generals and colonels who now serve as cable pundits. But it's beginning to look as if Bush wants to cede civilian control of the military to favorite generals. Just another sign of Bush's respect for our constitution.

Petreaus wrote his report to show what a good job he's doing, and what general doesn't want to win! He carefully qualified some of his descriptions of "progress" to give an aura of credibility to his otherwise incredibly rosy report.

But I think few people will miss the fact that Bush has changed the narrative or the purpose of the surge. Originally it was to provide a secure environment in Baghdad so the government could achieve political reconciliation with insurgents and militias and pass oil revenue sharing laws. Now that the Iraqi government has failed to do any of this, Bush has changed the military mission to policing the entire country. As he said on Thursday, "securing the Iraqi population" is necessary for " Iraqis to bridge sectarian divides, they need to feel safe in their homes and neighborhoods."

This is kicking the can down the road by redefining our goals for the 10th time, but if the people are fooled again, the consequences will be far worse than Vietnam.

Answer 2

Has it occurred to you that if Gen. Petraeus really is as bad as Moveon.org and Hillary is making him out to be that it has even wider implications?

For example, if he's really falsifying his report and painting a rosy picture, we already know that this goes hand in hand with what you want us to believe about the Bush administration, but what else does it say?

It says that 100% of the Senate, home of your friends Teddy Kennedy, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, and Barney Frank, all were totally fooled by him.

Okay, so I'll get on this anti-Petraeus bandwagon, IF we can throw the whole Senate that confirmed him unanimously and with glowing recommendation under the bus with him.

I think that'd be fair, logical, and reasonable.

How about it, is the Senate gonna step up and apologize for their mistake? Or is this just more posturing from people who give nothing but lip-service to the Truth and the good of the American People, and even then only during an election cycle?

I'm just waiting for Moveon.org to call for their version of Kristallnacht. I'm pretty sure that's coming soon. They're following the script so far.

Answer 3

This is funny, look at all the Republican spin=(retro fitted lies). trying to shame you when you speak the truth right from Patrraeus's mouth. Okay, so now you are a Traitor for caring if our Troops get blown up. Nice work Neocons.

Answer 4

i replaced into suspended from college...for failing 2 training. i replaced into actually happy i replaced into achieved for 6 months. (thats how long the suspension replaced into) i replaced into slowly sinking. My 4.0 dropped to a 2.9 beforehand i replaced into suspended. i replaced into happy nevertheless...and that i deserved it. i replaced into putting all my high quality time into my new toddler and kin fairly of training. I deserved it and so did my kin. i'm going to circulate returned while the time is right.

Answer 5

No matter how you phrase it, the man still has more integrity than anyone running for President on the Democratic ticket. I suspended belief in Clinton when the Grand Jury in Little Rock indicted her sorry butt. It's too bad the the Clinton Hit Squad got to clean things up for them.

Answer 6

And I suppose that you are willing to defend your country only if you can wave a magic wand and defeat the enemy with no losses. Until you can put forth a positive idea on how to *WIN* I'm not interested in your "America the Loser" rhetoric.

Answer 7

If you'll notice, most of the republicans gave up their "question time" to make speaches on the "progress" of the war. It was propiganda time for the RNC.

Answer 8

And then there was Rome that was built in a day!

Answer 9

ok let me get this straight...your whining about three years ago right, and your comparing three years ago to now...NEWSFLASH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ITS 2007 NOT 2004 AND TROOP REDUCTIONS ARE OCCURRING....GET OVER IT.
your question has no answer as it makes no sense
liberals...gotta love em....(sic).