Petraeus Admits "I Don't Know" If White House Plan on Iraq Makes America Safer

General Petraeus today made a stunning admission, conceding "I don't know" if the course of action recommended in Iraq makes America safer:

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.

This exchange verifies the argument VoteVets.org has been making, that General Petraeus' job is not to take those things into account, and therefore the President is hiding behind General Petraeus.

Let me explain.

General Petraeus was given an order -- find a military solution for Iraq where there is none, and without concern for troop overextension or the larger war on terror. General Petraeus followed his orders, giving the president what he wanted to hear, and now the president will hide behind that to justify his failure as a commander in chief.

General Petraeus has a very limited area of concern -- the US military in Iraq -- and his testimony today reflected that.

When one looks at the grander scale, past just the military in Iraq, the picture is dismal, and becoming a critical danger. From the Government Accountability Office report to Congressional Research Service report to the report by General Jones, it is clear that there has been no political reconciliation overall in Iraq or increased security, despite our military's strongest efforts.

From Admiral Fallon to Admiral Mullen, those above General Petraeus in the chain of command are telling the president that this war is hurting our military and our global security. The president has chosen to ignore all of this, in favor of a report based on a false premise with faulty findings, signed by a General with a very limited scope of concern. Call it denial, or call it stubbornness, or whatever you want; it all boils down to the same thing -- this president still refuses to listen to those he needs to listen to, in favor of those who tell him what he wants to hear.

Unwittingly, General Petraeus just confirmed all of that in the exchange above, today.

Update: Today VoteVets.org launches this new internet ad capturing that moment and making the argument above.

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Comments

[elkabong]

I wish someone would ask the good general if he is lying now or was he lying when he wrote the Military Counter-Insurgency Manual which calls for 1 US troop for every 50 Iraqis (400,000 US troops).

[Yukon Jack]

General Perteaus should do exactly what generals Eiswenhower and Patton did before him, successfully, I might add: bomb the shit out of them.

If the civilians protect the enemy, the civilians ARE THE ENEMY.

If the civilians protect the enemy, there is no such thing as an INNOCENT civilian, regardless of age.

If this had been a policy since the moment Saddam's statue fell, there would be peace in Iraq by now.

Sadly, political correctness afflicted America.

[Canukistani]

So Al Qaeda was right then?

[Yukon Jack]

Canuckistani, unless you have anything worthwile to respond to, go back to your socialist cacoon in British Columbia. Or Ontario. Or Saskatchewan. Or Atlantic Canada. Or Manitoba. Or Newfoundland. Pretty much anywhere in Canuckistan except for the enlightened land of Alberta.

P.S. Your post would have failed grade 4 grammar. (At leaast sentense structure). So does your political acumen.

[Dangoodbar]

The proper term for what Bush and his supporters are doing in regard to the lost and unnecessary war in Iraq is TREASON.

Bush is aware that the worst consequences of his lost and unnecessary Iraq War will be WHEN America leaves Iraq.

What Bush and the Republicans are doing is to try and forestall those consequences by sacrificing American blood and other treasures to drag out the war until blame for what will happen WHEN America leaves Iraq can be shifted from they who started this war onto those who will end the war.

That is Bush and the Republicans are sacrificing American lives and other treasures that will leave America weaker, less secure, poorer, with fewer allies, less able to influence world affairs while at the same time making America's enemies and competitors stronger, more secure, richer, with more allies and more able to influence world affairs.

By killing Americans by continuing a lost and unnecessary war solely for political gain at the expense of America makes Bush and all who support him guilty of TREASON.

[olivine]

Hello, George Orwell... "War is Peace;Freedom is Slavery;Ignorance is Strength."

[Twocentsworth245]

Some great posts, guys! Come, now. Did anyone actually believe that Petraeus would have been chosen to give that report unless he was going to tell Bushy Boy exactly what he wanted to hear? The only way anyone gets a high-powered job or task in this abysmal administration is if your a 110% Bushy loyalist.
I believe I can tell the general what he doesn't know, namely, that I don't believe we are safer now than we were before the atrocity of Iraq. In fact, I believe just the opposite is true, because the moment U.S. troops set foot on Iraqi soil, we stirred up a hornets' nest, and anyone who's dealt with a hornets' nest knows that the hornets usually don't bother you if you leave 'em alone, but, if you disturb their nest, then that's when they attack. Now that we've stirred up things over in Iraq, I feel that the insurgents and their followers will be looking for revenge. I'm surprised that the Muslim extremists haven't put out a "fatwah" against the Bush administration the way they did on Salman Rushdie.

[ScapeGoat]

Enough is Enough. Senator Lautenberg has a petition to stop the bush propaganda and bring the troops home.  To read what Senator Lautenberg has to say about the War and sign the petition he's sending to the White House, click here:

http://www.democratsenators.org/o/19/t/70/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=71

[Levittown]

The chaos that will follow our re-deploying is nothing compared to the almost 4 million displaced and killed and woulnded since we invaded abd occupied Iraq. The Iraqi people do not want anymore of us in control other than fixing what we have broken, We can protect their borders and aid and train more men but stay out if their politics. We cannot sit in their parliment, but the UN can be the tool for eventual settlement of many issues.

[poopdeck]

The attack on Iraq was a necessary prelude for an attack on Iran. Iraq was supposed to yield the crude oil necessary to cover the certain loss from Iran following an attack on that country, which, remember!, was to take place pronto following Iraq. Oilman Bush understands this. What he does not seem to get is that his oil-strategy has totally failed even though some crude oil is now won in Iraq in violation of the Geneva Convention on warfare and occupation, ergo a war crime by the pumpers. Will oilman Bush accept the (probably temporary) loss of Iranian oil and bomb the country anyway? Will the illegal exploration and exportation of crude oil from Iraq be enough to cover the Iranian losses? Because of these major issues, Secretaries Gates and Rice should have been grilled in Congress, not Pet-rock and Croaker.

[Lane]

Good morning Yukon Jack;

I told you so.

Lane

[smartstuart]

Hey,BETRAY­US...the answer is ..NO! that's because there is NOTHING we're doing in IRAQ that makes America safer!!! OH, isn't this the same failure who previously was in charge of training the Iraqi troops? We see how well THAT went! Also, this is the guy under whose watch those 180,000 pistols and rifles went missing! Typical of Bushco to promote a failure!!!THanks to Sen. Warner for exposing this sham!!

[Canukistani]

I think the general was being as loyal as he could be without lying. If he could possibly have said, 'Yes, America is safer in my opinion.' however narrow he made that interpretation, he would have done it. If he could even have said something like, 'That's unclear to me at this time, but that I believe there are benefits to America in being there.' he would have said that.
That makes me think that the answer must have been no (unless you're one of those poor unfortunates who always believes the Administration line of the day, whatever it is), but he was too loyal to say it . Which takes us back, once again, to why so many young people are fighting and dying and getting maimed for life when nobody in charge can articulate a believable (and moral) reason for it.

[Mike O.]

Canukistani:

Your post shows a typically liberal lack of knowledge concerning anything military. It is against regulations for a member of any of the branches of the military to comment on policy. He could not have answered the question even if had wanted to.

[nippersdad]

I call bullshit. Last I heard, they pledged their loyalty to the Constitution, not the policy, not the President. How many Generals were fired for their unwillingness to toe the policy line?

Nothing prevents any military leader from speaking his mind but the potential political consequences. That is why the "I was just following orders" defence did not fly at Nuremberg.

[Purple Girl]

This administration - can't remember, doesn't know, wasn't in the loop.
These facts allow should be able to OUST the lot of them- INCOMPETENCY or CORRUPTION- pick one and GET THEM OUT, before they GET US INTO IRAN.

[1fliteup]

does anyone here realize whats driving this war, its not just oil. There are as many Contractors in Iraq as the Military, namely one big bunch called KBR(Kill Bag & Replace), A subsidiary of Halliburton. KBR owns the place and is making huge profits along with Blackwater, Bechtel Etc. Etc. This war is being run by corporations on the backs of our military and taxpayers and they haven't made enough money yet. The real scum behind this war can be sumed up with one word CHENEY.

[pygmytyke]

This whole thing is like, "Deja-Vu all over again" More than 30 years after the ignomineous ending to the Vietnam debacle these hearings are proof positive that we haven't learned a thing about guerilla warfare; which is exactly what vietnam and iraq represent.
Sadly,what we are witnessing is the abject failure of our military and political leadership. Our Nation can not suvive much more of this incompetence

[TankerRat]

I just love it when someone quotes Yogi. Had a way with words for sure. Don't blame Gen Petreaus concerning his ability or knowledge. He has tons of both. Lay the blame where it belongs, i.e. Bush, Cheney, Wolfwitz, Rumsfeld, Bremer, Rice, Feith, Perle, Tenet, Powell, Franks, do you wish me to go on?
I'll say it again. READ Thomas E. Rick's book "FIASCO." It'll give you some very fine insights into the basis for this well-FIASCO.

[Observer1]

Looking at the bigger picture is getting more and more blurred each day.
1. Japan's Abe announced his resignation (citing one small reason as wanting to continue the refuelling mission in the Indian Ocean).

2. Germany's Merkel insists she will not support any further sanctions against Iran.

3. Tony Blair has already left in disgrace and Brit troops will probably be home for Christmas.

4. Aussie John Howard supports the war and looks like he will lose the election this year

5. Pakistan's Musharref looks like he is in political trouble down there.

When you lie down with dogs, you will catch fleas. Anyone supporting the Bush admistration is losing ground at home.

Meanwhile Russia, China and India are going their merry way along improving their military and economic might.
Is it any wonder that Petraeus doesn't know if America is safer. I don't know if America has any more friends.

6.

[Yukon Jack]

Judging by your post you are revelling in the appearence of America LOSING. You seem to take glee that your country may be on the receiving and of world-wide stupidity.

But REMEMBER:

1. America vanquished Japan but had the grace and goodwill to rebuild it to a great economical powerhouse.

2. Same thing for Germany.

No surprise that these two former enemies would stab America in the back, once again.

3. The stupidity of the British is beyond the comprehension of anybody normal. They turfed their greatest ever citizen, Churchill because they were ingrates and stupid. Looks like history may be repeating itself.

How else can you describe an otherwise normal nation that believes that a family, whose history is rife with cruelty and bloodshed is superior and worthy to rule over you??

4. Australia was always an original. If they think America is wrong, may be there is something to it.

5. Musharaff and his country is MUSLIM. Do you expect a Muslim country to be an ally, when their Koran tells them NEVER ally yourself to an infidel, and if you do, honor it for no more than ten years, and after that your religion not only allows you, but commands you to stab your ally in the back?

Russia and China flourish because of American gullibility. If only the American public boycotted products made in China - thereby expressing their patriotism - China would rot in its own morbid cesspool of child and slave labor. If the recent attempt by China to kill as many American kids as possible by poisioning them with their paint is not a wake-up call to Americans, I don't know what is.

How about Russia? Just today they announced their greatest achivement in their history: a bomb that can kill millions but would not damage the environment. Now, that would draw an immediate approval from the Al Gore acolytes.

Hopefully there will be time when people like you will be made to account for their attack on their own country and for giving aid and comfort to the enemy, directly or indirectly.

[nippersdad]

Have you not heard the two hundred year old saying that criticism is the highest form of patriotism? Perhaps you should learn something about the tenets upon which this nation was founded before you attempt to slap them down.

[LoriAnn]

This once great nation is on the receiving end of alot of negativity from other countries mainly because of what this countries administration now espouses..­HYPOCRACY, STUPITY,UNLAWFUL OCCUPATIONS, SYSTEMATIC DISMANTELING OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS which by the way many of my relatives have fought and died for us all to participate in with pride. No one can force a sovereign nation to do anything it doesnt want to do,, not even GW Bush's America!! If we are to be citizens of this world then we have to participate in it with dignity and intelligence. You might want to consider traveling more so you can get an idea of how this country is perceived and it may open your mind, heart and your tighty righty eyes......­.