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

[BillBrasky]

Yall need to crash this comment page at Townhall.com Most of the posts are pathedic.

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

[OkieMon]

6 more months to see if the oil production rises in the absence of terrorist disruption­...you're paying the terrorists to not bomb he pipelines with more money than the oil is worth...

[speakingtruth2power]

This is a sick and laughable JOKE!!

We are now six months away from turning the same corner we've already turned two dozen times?

Get a new fucking script!!!!!

[Turnip]

We get it, General.



Once again, Republicans are too incompetent to complete what they set out to do.

[brisa]

Here is my prediction. The US will not leave Iraq until we are thown out....and we will be thrown out. The Iraqis have a long and storied history of defeating occupiers who attempt to colonialize their resources.

[amanda85]

Only 6 months? Make it 100 years, like John "dementia" McCain said...

[MIKEBC]

BUSH WILL ALWAYS BE KNOWN AS THE PRESIDENT THAT LIED HIS WAY INTO A WAR, CAUSED UNNECESSARY LOSS OF LIFE, DIMINISHED OUR STANDING IN THE WORLD AND BANKRUPTED THE USA, EVERYONE AROUND THE WORLD IS WONDERING WHAT HAPPENED TO AMERICA?

[NotWaldo]

"We were succeeding. When you looked at specifics, this became a war of attrition. We were winning."

Gen. William Westmoreland

[avicenna]

The "Administration" must love the short-term memory of the American public... unless reminded, most forget that they've been paying of the bombing of a nation for about the last 6 years or so. Right - We'll see the "turning point" in 6 months - only question being turning point from which date? When Bush had claimed victory and the end of the war - when was that again? 2003? I forget.

[lvogt]

We need six more months to see if we need six more months or 12 more months to see how much longer we might need down the road.

[ErnestineBass]

Nothing like doing a victory dance on your opponent's ten yard line...

[HumeSkeptic]

Part 1 of 2
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Violence in Iraq mainly consists of Shia-Sunni violence and insurgents (freedom-fighters) fighting the occupiers (U.S.) and their sympathizers (Iraq government).

There is also some violence created by non-Iraqis (al Qaeda). However, the number of al Qaeda in Iraq has never been big. By U.S. estimates, 4 to 10% of fighters in Iraq are “foreign”.

Additionally, there is some violence among different sects within Shia, mainly restricted to southern provinces, which are now in virtual control of Iran. Iran has controlled the level of violence in these regions.

There has been mass movement of Sunnis, both within Iraq and to places outside Iraq. The formerly mixed Shia-Sunni neighborhoods are now either pure Shia or pure Sunni. This is the biggest factor behind reduced Shia-Sunni violence in Iraq – segregation. However, those displaced are homeless and without jobs. They will not remain docile forever. Those outside Iraq are being pushed back by countries like Egypt and Jordan to go back and fight the emergence of a Shia theocracy in Iraq – something that neighboring Sunni countries don’t want happening.

[IntelligentDesign]

Said the spider to the fly.

[bikerdude]

NOW can we start talking about impeachment? Does anyone in their right mind believe that we were told the truth? That there is some honorable end to this chaotic madness? Impeach Bush and Cheney, get Betrayus to testify under oath, then discharge him for lying to congress..­.At least we citizens will be able to face the rest of the world after finally holding these arrogant, incompetent lying fools accountable.

[Turnip]

I believe what Petraeus says.

In fact, I believe what everyone associated with the Bush Administration says.


Of course, I also believe if I flap my arms hard enough I can fly.