Did Petraeus Part Ways With The Neocons?

Those who expected General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker to beat the drums of war during this week's Senate hearings must be disappointed.

The Real News Network takes a closer look at the issue of Iran in a new episode of The Real Story.

Petraeus tempered his talk about Iran. He stated that Iran has "fueled the violence" in Basra but stopped short of blaming Iran as the principle instigator of recent fighting. Petraeus also presented the other side of the geopolitical equation, corroborating reports that Iran brokered the cease-fire in Basra and acknowledging that a successful Democracy in Iraq would serve Iran's interests. Perhaps Petraeus's rumored political ambitions tempered his answers as they did Senator McCain's. Mentioning Iran only as a final thought, McCain said, "I hope we could talk a little more about the Iranian threat."

The absence of anti-Iranian rhetoric certainly bothered Senator Lieberman, who spent his six minutes reminding the room of the supposed threat. "Are Iranians still training and equipping Iraqi extremists who are going back into Iraq and killing American Soldiers," he questioned in a tone assured of the answer. As co-Chair of the Committee on the Present Danger, which advocates immediate regime change in Iran, Lieberman has been carrying the "bomb bomb Iran" rhetoric forward while McCain repositions himself for the general elections.

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