Petraeus: I Need Another Six Months To Determine Whether "We've Reached A Turning Point"

Thinkprogress.org:

In the past few months, conservatives such as Sens. John McCain (R-AZ) and Joe Lieberman (I-CT) have been quick to declare victory in Iraq. In November, McCain said that "we've succeeded militarily." A day later, Lieberman declared that "we are winning" because "we have made progress" in "one of the most remarkable turnarounds in modern military history."

Gen. David Petraeus, however, appeared on NBC this morning and rebutted the declarations of mission accomplished and said that he'll need at least another Friedman Unit before he can make a judgment:

We think we won't know that we've reached a turning point until we're six months past it. We have repeatedly said that there is no lights at the end of the tunnel that we're seeing. We're certainly not dancing in the end zone or anything like that.

Read the whole story: Thinkprogress.org

Comments

[HumeSkeptic]

What has to happen before our soldiers can come home?

“The UN estimates that over 4 million Iraqis have been displaced by violence in their country, the vast majority of which have fled since 2003. Over 2.3 million have vacated their homes for safer areas within Iraq, 1.5 million are now living in Syria, and over 1 million refugees inhabit Jordan, Iran, Egypt, Lebanon, Yemen, and Turkey.”

http://www.refugeesinternational.org/content/article/detail/9679

Documented Iraqi civilian deaths are around 80,000. Estimated civilian deaths are several hundred thousand.

http://www.iraqbodycount.org/

An estimated 1.5 million Iraqis have been severely injured.

http://www.unknownnews.net/casualties.html

Around 3,900 of our soldiers have been killed, and ten times that many severely wounded.

http://icasualties.org/oif/

And we are told that things are “improving” and that we must now wait.

Improving to become what? What has to happen before our soldiers can come home?
And how exactly has this carnage helped the American people, who have spent over $1.5 trillion in this fraud perpetrated by Bush and Cheney?

[FiddleDD2]

Good lord. Where is Mary12 with her middle finger salute? It's really needed for this goof.

[tgood]

The picture of those soldiers speak louder than the most prolific writer. Any of the politicos who say they understand what those soldiers are going through are either delusional or intential liars. No, they don't.

[kj593]

The answer is no.

[NotWaldo]

Right now, the men who are leading the US of A are mental-midgets. And that's a tragedy.

[MNmommy]

So this takes us to just about the time he'll be given the promotion to NATO Commander?

Can someone remind me why impeachment is off the table? Especially with the economy, the illegal removal of email backup systems, outing of covert CIA operatives, lying us into a war...

[BillBrasky]

Hey,

Everyone needs to check out this comment screen on townhall.com. Its about Global Warming.

http://www.townhall.com/columnists/KevinJames/2008/01/21/global_warming_the_all-purpose_farce_to_control_your_life?page=full&comments=true

[forpeace]

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Oh one more thing, f**** Warmongers like MCcain and LOOserman!

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[forpeace]

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Hey Petraeus, you had 5 years so far and NOTHING has been done, what do you really think will happen in next 6 months?

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[doinaheckofajob]

Didn't he say we needed 6 more months, 6 months ago? Do all of the Bush warmongers believe this crap, or only the stupid ones?

[ErnestineBass]

Yesterday another poster questioned why we would sell $20 billion in hightech military equipment to the Saudis.

Perhaps that question will be answered in six month's time.

[forpeace]

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Per Warmonger MCcain we 're staying in Iraq for another 100 years and it won't bother him, so Six months is completely okay!

Does this Administration really think people are STUPID?

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[JackSlappyNotYourPappy]

.

Out of the pictures view is cheneys hand and arm up betrayus's ass pulling the puppets strings!

Cute little dancing monkey ...

.

[Indyfromny]

amanda85 (See profile | I'm a fan of amanda85)
Watch how Blackwater will turn against American as the economic crisis becomes progressively more frightening. It's not that it isn't over yet, it hasn't actually started yet! The next four years will be awful, I don't how anybody in his/her right mind would want to become the president.­..




I reposted this because I think its a good point.
All of us are going to have to come to a realization that once we leave Iraq, If its tomorrow or ten years from now. They will suffer a blood bath.
Their is to much oil/money to be made. And to many factions fighting for it.

Amandas right.

[Turnip]

Only a Republican keeps expecting to 'turn the corner' while running in a circle.