Petraeus: "I Don't Know" If My Iraq Policy Makes America Safer

Sen. John Warner (R-VA) questions Gen. David Petraeus:

WARNER: I hope in the recesses of your heart that you know that strategy will continue the casualties, stress on our forces, stress on military families, stress on all Americans. Are you able to say at this time, if we continue what you have laid before the Congress, this strategy, that if you continue, you are making America safer?

PETRAEUS: Sir, I believe that this is indeed the best course of action to achieve our objections in Iraq.

WARNER: Does that make America safer?

PETRAEUS: Sir, I don't know actually. I have not sat down and sorted out in my own mind. What I have focused on and been riveted on is how to accomplish the mission of the Multinational Force in Iraq.

Comments

[TerryFL]

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Bang the gavel.........case for more war dismissed.

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[thegreatgiginthesky]

Couple of trillion dollars apparently does not even buy you safety.

[Robert59]

Which is why he shouldn't be the public face to sell this war. If anyone should be talking overall strategy it's Admiral Fallon who commands all forces in the theater.

I do detect a bit of waffle in Petraeus because just yesterday he was the one highlighting AQI's importance. Now he's saying that he doesn't know if killing them there is making us safer here. So why stay?

[RanTalbott]

Petraeus is in a difficult position when talking about AQI and "making us safer".

He knows that the Bushies have been lying their asses off about AQI, and he also knows that _global_ strategy is outside his bailiwick.

He did backpedal on his "I don't know" when asked about it again later, and kinda half-heartedly repeated the official line about "Iraq as central front".

I haven't seen all of the hearings, but it seems to me he's been pretty consistent about portraying AQI as "_a_ major problem" while resisting partisan efforts to make them "_the_ major problem". I think he's been a little wimpy about debunking the nonsense about Iraq becoming an Afghanistan-style "haven", though.

[Giordano Bruno]

Actually guys, that is kind of a standard military response, is it not. In otherwords, as a military man, my job is to carry out policy not to formulate it. He answers to a higher authority, who answers to an even higher authority. This is how it goes, which is why we can't question it. Shrub heard it from Jesus, and Betray us heard it from Shrub. The policy is therefore sacrosanct. And to question the premise, whether it makes us safer. Well, folks if anybody knows heresy, it would be me, Giordano Bruno!

[Plowboy]

Pretty lame response, General. What is the purpose of it if it doesn't make us safer? Isn't that what our "defense" forces are all about? What have you thought of, General? When you concoct a plan, don't you have a purpose?
I've heard some strange stuff in my time, but a general arguing for a purposeless plan is up there with the strangest!
And we are supposed to take him seriously and consider him highly intelligent!

[Scine]

Well if General Petraeus doesn't know, then do any of you have a game plan that will guaranteed work? I didn't think so.

[Grannysue]

I think the good General better go back and talk to the WH, he forgot his talking points:
Remember this General, at all times when asked, Yes Saddam and 9-11 were connected:
Yes, we are making great progress:
Yes, we are staying
No, I cannot tell you when we will leave, your just going to have to trust THE COMMANDER GUY.
Yes, of course it will make us safer, otherwise the Iraqi's will carve out row boats and load up their home made bombs and sail over here and blow us all up!
This is the most important talking point and you cannot forget it:
BE AFRAID, BE VERY AFRAID, and remember THE REPUBLICANS ARE THE ONLY PATRIOTS, THE ONLY ONES WITH MORAL VALUES AND THE ONLY ONES THAT CAN RUN THIS COUNTRY and PROTECT US.
Now, have you got all that, otherwise your going to join the dog pile of Generals who have forgotton their lines. Quick get him some kool-aid.

[MikeMidCity]

Now Republicans are freedom haters.

A safer America? 2/3's of our armed combat units are not combat ready, feel safer now?

[NCGigi]

Not a bad answer for a man whose focus must be on the objectives laid out by the Cry-Baby In Chief. It's Boo-Boo's responsibility to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States, and be the Commander In Chief-not this guy's. He can't think about things like that, because it gets in the way of obeying orders. And, we want him to continue to obey orders because we don't want a military coup. Civilian control of the military is a must, even if the Cry-Baby In Chief can't handle his job. We still have to deal with it. Now to action: Congress cut the cash off now. No money for anything other than bringing the troops home. Nothing else. Nada. Zip.

[akoop]

Gigi- I agree. Why the flap over a general's testimony about the effectiveness of a military stategy he developed to quell sectarian (I'd say insurgent but I'm not sure who that would be exactly)violence. It's like asking the offensive line coach if his players are effectively protecting the quarterback. It has little to do with anything if: your quarterback can't throw a spiral ten yards; your recievers can't catch the ball when it does get to them.

Translation: quarterback al Maliki; receivers Iraqi parliament.

[gappytoofcondi]

Funny how the government has all kinds of money to throw down the sewer that is Iraq, but no money available for helping us pay for healthcare, education, or any other program to help us AMERICANS.

F them. Throw them ALL out when they come up for re-election. As for now, time to turn up the heat on the Ct. cowboy and his evil sidekick, Darth.

[schatsie]

I am sick and tired of the Repugs lame a__ excuses for spending our money. We can't even get them to testify under oath and then they are cooking the numbers on the casualties and the waits for the PTSD people.

If you couldn't beleive Colin Powell, this guy is not credible either.

What a morass this country has turned into with the largest taxes being collected as payroll taxes on the working stiffs. While the payrolls are less than 50% of the GDP...

[RichardD]

The World seems to think that it's "cute" how big, strong, blustery America pretends to wage war.
All talk and no competence.

[godlessclif]

I think he jumps out of airplanes. They give you medals for that.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

To say that this ESCALATION represents a change in "strategy" is like saying a football team changed its strategy by having the linemen eat more pasta.

[LeftVetPatriot]

Ask me, Sir.