Early Second-Guessing of Petraeus-Crocker Report
A day ahead of a report to Congress by Gen. David H. Petraeus, the U.S. commander in Iraq, and Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker on progress in Iraq, lawmakers from both parties hardened their positions about the military and political paths forward.
Members of both parties generally agree that President Bush's "surge" strategy of boosting U.S. troop levels has led to at least modest success in quelling violence in certain regions. They also concur that Iraqi politicians have failed to take advantage of the "breathing space" afforded them by the surge in order to undertake national reconciliation -- which the Bush administration described in January as the primary reason for the troop buildup.
At that point, though, the lawmakers split. Republicans argued today for keeping the troop buildup in place to give the Iraqi government more time, while Democrats said the fact that Iraq has not formed a working national government means Bush's policy has effectively failed already.
"I think that a lot of the progress that's been made is probably not as well known to some Americans as it is to us," Sen. John McCain (Ariz.), a contender for the Republican presidential nomination and one of his party's most prominent advocates for the surge, said on ABC's "This Week." "[T]he first part of the equation is the vital part of any political success, and that's security on the ground."
McCain said the strategy now needs more time to work -- since it has been in place only a few months."[I]t's only been, after four years -- nearly four years of a failed strategy, we've had this strategy in place for a short period of time," he said. "[T]he success will then breed political, economic and social progress, in my view.
Appearing after him on ABC, Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) took issue with McCain's statement that he wants troops to leave Iraq only "with honor."
"[T]hat's the same kind of flawed thinking, I regret to say, that has brought us the first 4½ years of this disastrous war. And the same kind of thinking, actually, that got us mired in Vietnam," said Kerry, the Democratic candidate for president in 2004. "There is no military solution. It's not a question of a defeated Army. It's a question of whether or not the Iraqi government is going to step up and make decisions that are out of the hands of our Army, that are outside of any military solution."
Kerry renewed his call for a deadline for troop withdrawal in order to pressure the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki."[I]f you don't have a deadline and you don't require something of the Iraqis, they're simply going to use our presence as cover for their willingness to delay, which is what they have done month after month after month," Kerry said.
That view was seconded by Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) on CBS's "Face the Nation."
"The only way that [the Iraqis are] going to take the hard and difficult steps is when they become convinced that we're starting the withdrawal," he said.
Kennedy added: "I'm going to do everything I possibly can to bring American troops home at the earliest possible time."
In recent weeks, several Democratic lawmakers and political interest groups have taken aim at Petraeus, saying he is not in a position to provide an objective assessment of what is happening in Iraq. Some have even suggested that he is a pawn of the Bush administration.
But lawmakers today generally agreed that Petraeus was a respectable figure, though his conclusion -- expected to be that he needs more time for the additional troops -- did not carry much weight with the Democrats.
"I think the general will present the facts with respect to the statistics and the tactical successes or situations as he sees them. But ... we should not be fooled into this tactical success debate," Kerry said.
On NBC's "Meet the Press," Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. (D-Del.), the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee who just returned from Iraq, said of Petraeus, "I really respect him ... and I think he's dead, flat wrong."
On "Fox News Sunday," Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) said Democrats are searching for a way to find a filibuster-proof number of votes to pressure the Iraqi government and bring troops home.
"What we're looking for is, how do you put together 60 votes in a bipartisan way that will change the policy and that will communicate to the Maliki government that they have to stand up," she said. "... That's not going to be done as long as we maintain this presence, in my view."
White House: Bin Laden Tape a 'Propaganda' Bid
Frances Fragos Townsend, the White House homeland security adviser, went on two shows to discuss a new video from Osama bin Laden.
Townsend, who appeared on "Fox News Sunday" and CNN's "Late Edition," said the video was intended simply to signal that bin Laden is still alive and active.
"We take the tapes seriously. Look at the activities recently in Germany and Denmark. So we know that Al Qaeda is still determined to attack, and we take it seriously. But this tape looks -- appears to be nothing more than threats. It's propaganda on their part," she said.
Townsend would not say whether she thought al Qaeda has cells in the United States.
"I believe that they've tried. I believe they're trying. We look every day to see if there are connections between Al Qaeda operatives overseas and here in the United States," she said.
On CNN, Townsend compared the search for bin Laden to the search for Eric Rudolph, who was convicted of a series of bombings, including one at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.
"It's interesting, because I've been asked this before and I can't help but to think, think about Eric Rudolph. It took us five years. He was in the foothills in the Carolinas here in the United States, and it took us five years to find him," she said.
She added: "[Y]ou have the counterterrorism resources that are devoted to not only finding bin Laden, but they're also devoted to preventing the next attack, to following leads, both in this country and around the world. Capturing and killing bin Laden is the number one priority, but it's not our only priority. We also have to be mindful of current ongoing threats against this country."
Huckabee Goes on Offense in His GOP Bid
Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, a Republican candidate for president, used a CNN appearance to slap at two other rivals.
He criticized former Tennessee senator Fred D. Thompson, who entered the presidential race last week, for skipping a GOP debate in New Hampshire, adding, "I don't know where Fred stands on a lot of issues."
Huckabee also fired back at former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, who dismissed Huckabee last week as someone to worry about, saying, "If Huckabee raises $20 million this quarter, like we did in the first quarter, then he'll become a front-tier candidate."
"I appreciate his budget advice but we're not spending money like he is," Huckabee retorted. "We don't have to raise it, and we're getting where we're going by being frugal just like I would want to be with the Federal Treasury."
Then Huckabee made a not-so-subtle reference to Romney spending $20 million in the second quarter.
"I would be worried if I were a voter if a person is spending millions and millions of dollars to barely be in double digits. I'd be beginning to think I don't want that person in charge of the Federal Treasury," Huckabee said.
-- Zachary A. Goldfarb
By Post Editor |
September 9, 2007; 1:56 PM ET
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Posted by: Ray | September 9, 2007 3:03 PM
Petraeus: "attacks have fallen to a level not seen since June 2006".
June 2006 Iraqi civilian dead: 738
Aug 2007 Iraqi civilian dead: 1598
June 2006 US military dead: 61
Aug 2007 US military dead: 84
Get ready to be spoon-fed a large Crocker-Shiite!
Posted by: Kevrobb | September 9, 2007 3:53 PM
You who like Bush's war, we're going to bill you individually for it from now on. Oh also, your kids' names will be put in a lottery for front-line duty under your hero Petraeus. Have a nice day! PS- You're paying for the funerals yourself too.
Posted by: YouLikeItYouDoIt | September 9, 2007 4:14 PM
On the Iraq political side, criticized by everybody, it seems, I believe things would have improved considerably had the Democrats voted the 50% pay and benefits increase the Administration requested for the Iraqi Congress, Judiciary, Executive and Armed Forces. Under present circumstances it's unrealistic to expect great accomplishments from them.
Posted by: Frank R. Figlie | September 9, 2007 5:57 PM
As an Iraqi living in baghdad have the real view about the progress! that it occure since 2003,one dectatore gov. gose,esstablished another more ugliest so we wish that the war would never happin,the nombers of killing in 4years equal the same nombers in 35years ago,huge coraption in every ministry all in the name of fighting the terroresom.the wisdom of your warmakers release a monster called(the Iranion domain)with the help of the police forces and thier gov. which was the Iraqi army prevented it through the Gulf war.there is no such a thing as decresing the violince lately,the truth is more than half of the population of baghdad are either been killed or immegrated and therefor we`ve seen less violence not because of the succes of the plan,and what about your troops?when is the proprate time to withdrawell!? the wight house must change our gov. soon so your troops can go home that is from the mannar`s point view.
Posted by: mrs. Abdulrahman | September 9, 2007 6:33 PM
Rather than these closed-minded types that already have their minds made up, Im going to wait and listen to the testimony.
Who knows, maybe I'll learn something.
Posted by: Patrick | September 9, 2007 6:56 PM
Yah right Patrick..you'll find they moved the goalposts again for the umpteenth time.Wake up.This bunch will NEVER advocate leaving.
Posted by: Ray | September 9, 2007 7:18 PM
Iraq/Arabs are playing America for fools. Like Russia, America will go bankrupt because of military spending. The irony is Bush is a businessman.
Posted by: JD | September 9, 2007 9:31 PM
According to the Bush Administration and THE GENERALS ON THE GROUND:
June 24, 2003, President Bush declared al-Qaeda's leadership largely defunct
2003 Mission Accomplished
2004 We are making PROGRESS
2005 We are in the LAST THROES
2006 We should be able to draw down troops starting in Sept 2006
2007 January: A Surge of 22,500 will show significant results by July 2007
2007 July: We are making progress, wait until September
2007 September: We are making progress, wait until September 2008. We have only had the "SURGE" for 3 months.
If we STAY THE COURSE for one more year only 1000 more American Troops will die, 6000 more American Troops will be Wounded, 2500 Iraqi Security Forces will be killed, 10,000 Iraqi Security Forces will be Wounded, 15,000 more Iraqi Civilians will be KILLED, 40,000 more Iraqi Civilians will be wounded, 750,000 more Iraqis will be displaced from their homes, the Iraqi Parliament will meet 3 more of the 2007 benchmarks, still less than 50% of the 18 benchmarks and The GENERALS on the GROUND will report they are making progress and ask for 1 more year. The Bush Administration will ask for anther $200 Billion for 2009.
WAKE UP AMERICA! We should not have our Military trying to referee a CIVIL WAR in a country where democracy is a FOREIGN WORD and may NEVER be achieved.
Posted by: Jim Frego | September 9, 2007 9:31 PM
We seem to have forgotten who has final say in this country. It is not the monarchy/presidency, or the military careerists. It is the citizenry, and we made our position on the Iraq war known in the last election. This recent spate of stories on the Petreaus report is bogus reporting yet again, the mainstream media blindly following the rules as established by the Bush administration. It affords too much power to the opinions of one man, and gives an air of legitimacy to what essentially is the same old spin. Congress and others in the so-called ruling class: You already know all that needs to be known about this matter. Act now, and act boldly. Or watch the people take to the streets.
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The force-feeding of this so called Democracy has been a failure and a lie from day one. The CIA could have killed Saddam at any time, but that would not have secured the Oil you see. Nor would it have made money for Halliburton and Blackwater. So General BETRAY-US is nothing but a Bush puppet and a career political guy who will go on to write a book about how great he is and all of that rot.
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The comments to this entry are closed.
General Betrayus and Ambassader Croc(er)are going to do as "W" wants,which is the same old crap of stay the course.The American people are more than fed up with this stupid war!End it!