The White House revealed Monday that General David Petraeus' testimony before Congress re the Iraq War "surge" has now been set for September 11th.
Everything the General will talk about will naturally have the tragic deaths of 3,000 of our fellow citizens hanging in the air.
This may also work to temper the critical tone of questions.
And you can bet on this: His "opening statement" to the committee will reference 9/11. And the talking points given to the Republicans on the committee no doubt direct that their questions to the General should be prefaced by things like, "General Petraeus, as we look back on our military response to that tragic day in our nation's history...."
On and on it will go. What should be a tough and blunt exchange between the people's representatives in Congress and the General regarding the surge and the war and where we go from here, etc., will instead be in large measure a "memorial" to the victims of 9/11, and by not-so-subtle extension, a justification for continuing the war.
It is just more conflating of 9/11 and Saddam and Iraq, the White House modis operandi from day one.
9/11, Iraq, 9/11, Iraq, 9/11, Iraq, 9/11, Iraq, 9/11, Iraq........