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

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

We are confusing the role of General Petraeus with the role of the Commander-In-Chief.

It's not the Surgin' General's job to evaluate our national security, nor even to assess the burden the ESCALATION is placing on the military.

For that, Congress, even Sen. Warner, should be challenging Petreaus's bosses in the Pentagon, the National Security Advisor (who?), and the President.

We are all getting sucked into the vortex of judging the policy and the strategy by the effectiveness of tactics.

But at least General Petraeus gave a straight answer.

[caps]

wow, he sure has a pretty suit on. where'd he get all them medals from?

[mommadona]

He earned them.

[IzaakSzerman]

He should show the rest of the medals that continue over his shoulder and down the back of his coat.

General Petroleumus McChristmasTree!

[mommadona]

BILLIONS of dollars
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of lives
ONE dysfunctional nation-state

The truth, spoken in 2 distinct sentences.

DE PLOR A BLE.

WAR, as a political tool, is NO LONGER AN OPTION in the 21st Century.

[itsbushstupid]

he can't say.
he was told by cheney that he can't say the truth that america is more unsafe because the war has helped recruit anti-american terrorists by the thousands.

he can't say america is less safe that before 9/11 and before the illegal invasion of iraq.

he can't say the truth, that the cheney administration has been the worst foreign policy disaster in american history.

there is a lot betrayus cannot say... and it is because of cheney, not the goat boy deserter.

[gcallaghan]

One positive thing Petreaus' testimony does is it shoves the trolls' illogical talking points about us being safer because of Bush's "leadership" right up their cavernous asses.

[BaltoAman]

For those just tuning in...It's NOT about keeping us safe, it's about WINNING! We must WIN, we must not SURRENDER, no matter the cost.

Keep repeating until brainwashed.

thank you.

[MrBritesnide]

Anyone supporting a continuation of this monstrous death-machine has to be a heartless, ungodly monster.

[lawyeredup]

Tell that to the Religious-rite! they will still turned out in drove to vote Repuglican't in 08. Once, the right was gun-ho on issues they know will divide the country -- cuz, they know thats the only way they win -- and they did, not once but twice!. Now they are will settle for a candidate that may not share their values but promise to rule by them..... What hypocratical bunch.
My question is; after having this country goes through what we are going through the last 6, 7 years, will anyboby in their right mind ever voted republican again?.

[MrBritesnide]

I see he stopped short of telling THAT lie. What then, is the Reich-Ving rationale for staying in Iraq?

[jackjett]

Thank God..for HuffPo and for them catching that.

I was watching and I thought.......just as yellowdawg...Oh My God....he didn't just say this....
A man whose thousands of lives depends on and he doesn't fucking know...

jack jett

[godlessclif]

Good for Petreaus. A Bush bot would have said, "We have to fight them over there, so we don't have to fight them over here."
Petraeus can't tell the truth without getting fired, but at least he resisted the propaganda answer. Sort of like Gonzales saying "I forgot" instead of the Rove talking point.

[cinemaven]

It didn't look like he'd been briefed on how to answer that question. This might be unspinnable ... I just watched Chris Matthews have a meltdown over it. I'm now trying to see if Carlson can spin it into a good thing... appears he's just ignoring it (if only I could stomach FAUX, I could see how they've been told to spin it... probably something about the evilness of moveon.org)

[cinemaven]

I should've said Carlson would spin it by bringing out the moveon.org ad ... since that's what he just did.

**tv off**

[yellowdawgdem]

All together now: Oh My God???!!!???

[Captain EdwardGraham]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biX0qI1P7B4 Making Progress

[Captain EdwardGraham]

09/10/07 DoD Identifies Army Casualty
Spc. Marisol Heredia, 19, of El Monte, Calif., died Sept. 7 at Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, of injuries suffered from a non-combat related injury July 18 in Baghdad, Iraq. She was assigned to the 15th Brigade Support Battalion...

09/10/07 DoD Identifies Army Casualty
Capt. Drew N. Jensen, 27, of Clackamas, Calif., died Sept. 7 in Seattle of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire during combat operations May 7 in Ba’qubah, Iraq. He was assigned to the 5th Battalion...

09/10/07 DoD Identifies Army Casualty
Cpl. Ryan A. Woodward, 22, of Fort Wayne, Ind., died Sept. 8 in Balad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire during combat operations near Baghdad, Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron...

09/10/07 DoD Identifies Marine Casualties (part 4)
Sgt. Michael J. Yarbrough, 24, of Malvern, Ark...died Sept. 6 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. They were all assigned to 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton

09/10/07 DoD Identifies Marine Casualties (part 3)
Staff Sgt. John C. Stock, 26, of Longview, Texas...died Sept. 6 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. They were all assigned to 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton

09/10/07 DoD Identifies Marine Casualties (part 2)
Cpl. Bryan J. Scripsick, 22, of Wayne, Okla...died Sept. 6 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. They were all assigned to 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton

09/10/07 DoD Identifies Marine Casualties (part 1)
Cpl. Christopher L. Poole Jr., 22, of Mount Dora, Fla..died Sept. 6 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. They were all assigned to 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton

[gappytoofcondi]

Patraeus and Crocker - the living version of Beavis and Butthead!

[MrBritesnide]

You mean General "Betray-us" and Ambassador "Cracker"?