Betray is a Heavy Duty Word

This clarification is for all of those who support the attempt at verbal cuteness of MoveOn when describing General Petraeus, and were unhappy with my latest MoveOn dissertation.

Boy, so many misunderstood what I was saying about The General. I think that what he has said and done is not in the best interests of our country. I could add a bunch of things, but I won't do it as I am sure that I am clear about the man and his policies as well as his subservience to his Commander and Chief, our President.

BLAME THE PRESIDENT!

Many have commented on how "the right" vilifies everyone that they oppose. Whatever "they" on the right say is not the issue, but rather what we on the left say. To call Petraeus many names is fine with me, but to play with word like "betray us" in not at all OK.

BETRAY
These are some of the dictionary.com definitions of the word.
to deliver or expose to an enemy by treachery or disloyalty: Benedict Arnold betrayed his country

to be unfaithful in guarding, maintaining, or fulfilling: to betray a trust.

to disappoint the hopes or expectations of; be disloyal to: to betray one's friends.

to reveal or disclose in violation of confidence: to betray a secret

to reveal unconsciously (something one would preferably conceal): Her nervousness betrays her insecurity

to show or exhibit; reveal; disclose: an unfeeling remark that betrays his lack of concern.

to deceive, misguide, or corrupt: a young lawyer betrayed by political ambitions into irreparable folly.

Is this how MoveOn or anyone else would describe the General? I hope not.

Not approving of what he says, or how he has performed, does not call for him to be referred to as someone who "betrayed."

All of those who knew that we were invading Iraq for "made up" reason have "BETRAYED" our country.

They certainly can be said: "to betray a trust."

How sad.

WORDS AND THEIR MEANING MATTER!

Norman Horowitz

Comments

[Sephirothii13]

to be unfaithful in guarding, maintaining, or fulfilling: to betray a trust.
he was asked to swear and to take an oath, not to this president but to the USA. he lied to congress, he is not protecting the US like he is suppose. so tell me, isn't the being betrayed?

[Fairfloss]

While you back-pedal a wee-bit, I would like to bring a few things to light.

Hillary Clinton also called General Petraeus a liar in her well written remarks, she used at the hearings yesterday. In carefully scripted legaleze, Hillary, called the General a liar.

Now lets talk about "Moveon.org." It was originally founded by Bill Clinton supporters to save, yes I said SAVE, his Presidency after the Monica thing which we won't go into.

It has grown and has big money behind it now, thanks to very wealthy patrons, some of which are extremely secretive. They wield a lot of power. They, "Moveon.org" control politicians, like Hillary? Why would she called a man who is a Patriot, a liar?

Is "Moveon.org" and it's very wealthy patrons controlling Senator Hillary Clinton? Will they continue to control her if she is elected President of the United States of America?

Think about it. Is this what you, as an American want at this time in the history of our nation?

The list of true Patriots is growing ever so slim and to deliberately start attacking the ones we have is shameful.

One more thing, The New York Times gave "Moveon.org" a very large discount, so are they co-conspirators in attacking our Patriots?

[Davis Sweet - Huffpost Blogger]

Lying and manipulating statistics to keep our armed forces in an untenable position where *many of them will be killed* specifically so one weak figurehead can keep his mittens over his ears and sing "la la la I'm not listening to you..." Yeah, that couldn't possibly fall under every flipping dictionary definition of "betray."

"Just following orders" doesn't cut it. He's not a spokesman; he's a general. If it's not betrayal for him to sell a course of action that he knows will harm his country and his troops, what does that word mean?

[Doofus]

We are in it to win it, are we not?

Not that I think victory is likely, but
'faint heart never won fair lady', to
borrow a terrible metaphor.

The General has a terrible/challenging job to do.

If he doesn't succeed, GWB will pick another.

[PaulGaskin]

The troops can call him "Betray us" if they're getting extended tours of duty and forced re-enlistments as a result of his enabling Bush's war-crime-spree to continue.

[jmpurser]

I see two sides to this.

Move on took a really cheap shot off the guy's name. Shame on then.

Petraeus really is a "political general" who has been used by the Bush machine before and seems really happy to be used again.

No winners, only losers, let's get back to talking about important issues like Britany's weight.

[realityrules]

All right, I see your point. But I'm still not certain that MoveOn's questionable attempt to turn an easy pun into a message rises to the level of offensiveness deserving of such heated criticism. After all, some of the definitions you give above do seem to fit as viewed by many of us who watched the hearings. All the hype of "Wait until September" when the great Petraeus will speak did place in him the trust of the American people to expect a fair and unbiased report, and what we saw was the opposite, an obviously biased report crafted to fit the presidents agenda.

[Doofus]

Presumably someone with a slightly odd
name can handle such slings & arrows. That
they are so childish might even make it easier.

Anyway, an Army General out of West Point,
and an apparently honest, forthright one
at that, can handle such taunts.

And we really shouldn't expect more from him
than to try to accomplish the mission he took on, as well as possible.

BUT, in the end, CIC Bush should understand that we, the People,
do not have the patience or forbearance to let the Fiasco continue for
much longer.