Petraeus: I "Don't Know" If Iraq War Makes U.S. Safer

[Linkster]

http://www.thenation.com/blogs/capitalgames?bid=3&pid=231766

"Warner wasn't going to let the general dodge the bullet. He repeated the question: "Does the [Iraq war] make America safer?"

Petraeus replied, "I don't know, actually. I have not sat down and sorted in my own mind."

Don't know? Is it possible that the war is not making the United States safer? Petraeus went on to note that he has "taken into account" the war's impact on the U.S. military and that it's his job to recommend to the president the best course for reaching "the objectives of the policy" in Iraq. Yet he did not say that the Iraq war is essential to the national security of the United States. "

[radioguy]

I saw when Warner asked that question and not surprisingly, the article you linked to (from that obviously biased publication) left the rest of his answer out.

What he said following that statement, was that he has been focused on the mission in Iraq and has taken into account things like the impact the war is having on the troops. The biggest thing he said in his answer, was at the end of it.

He said:

"What I have tried to do is focus on what I think a commander is supposed to do, which is to determine the best recommendations to achieve the objectives of the policy from which his mission is derived. And that is what I've sought to do sir."

The general is absolutely correct. It is not his job, nor is it his place to answer a question like that. He commands the military forces in Iraq and the effect on the safety of the homeland has nothing to do with him, or his report.

Watch the WHOLE answer by clicking the link below if you want the facts. Unfortunately, I don't think too many of you care for facts that don't fit into the picture your trying to paint, so I feel that link is probably useless.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMFNgUlp2ZY

[Linkster]

Yes it is his job to answer that question - as it was asked of the leading military commander who's job it is to ensure the safety of the United States (obviously you have never served or you would have known that is in our oath of alliegence when we join the military)
Portraying his job as some limited focus path is not commensurate with his ultimate position - and only active or former military members would recognize that his answer was one that does not represent the rest of the military - only one of a political appointee

You can justify his answer all that you want - every military person out there knows he has just disgraced the uniform with that answer

[Bill]

Linkster, it is a question that the general can only really answer in the form of a personal opinion.

An informed personal opinion, but just a personal opinion, nonetheless.

[moonman]

You fascists want it both ways. One day you tell us that Iraq is the frontline in the War on Terrorism and the next you roll up in a ball claiming Iraq is limited to Iraq and has nothing to do with the War on Terrorism.

Warner's question is indeed legitimate as is Patreous answer. I believe he hasn't given any thought. The question is should he? Well hell yeah as commander on the frontline of the War on Terrorism he should have his eye on the bigger picture. I'm disapointed that he has not considered his role in the so-called wider war.

[Linkster]

Bill - see above - this has been an affliction that started back with Westmoreland and has carried through with many political appointed military personnel - while the many of us that actually served know the answers to these questions - as do even the chiefs of staff at the pentagon who announced today they are going to go against his recommendations and cut our force in half in Iraq next year - it is part of the duty of an active duty person to know whether their actions are making the US safer - and if not to report it to their chain of command - that is why I made such an issue of it

[radioguy]

Yes it is his job to answer that question - as it was asked of the leading military commander who's job it is to ensure the safety of the United States (obviously you have never served or you would have known that is in our oath of alliegence when we join the military)
Portraying his job as some limited focus path is not commensurate with his ultimate position - and only active or former military members would recognize that his answer was one that does not represent the rest of the military - only one of a political appointee

You can justify his answer all that you want - every military person out there knows he has just disgraced the uniform with that answer

How do you figure it is his job to assess issues of homeland security? He is a military commander and it is his job to assess the war in Iraq, nothing else. But admitting that Linkster, would make the story you posted just as irrelevant to you, as it is to those of us who took the time to find out everything the man said.

And you can justify that one sided article that omitted 90% of the mans answer all you want, it still doesn't make it any better than a supermarket tabloid for out of touch, far left kooks.

.

[Americanadian]

How do you figure it is his job to assess issues of homeland security? He is a military commander and it is his job to assess the war in Iraq, nothing else. But admitting that Linkster, would make the story you posted just as irrelevant to you, as it is to those of us who took the time to find out everything the man said.

And you can justify that one sided article that omitted 90% of the mans answer all you want, it still doesn't make it any better than a supermarket tabloid for out of touch, far left kooks.

.


blah..blah...far left kooks...mumble...mutter...LOL...


"A good defence, is a good offense" can be applied to more than just sports. As our beloved Right Wing intellectual counterparts have previously asserted, it was absolutely imperative to invade Iraq to prevent the "terrists" from jumping in their Kurdish rowboats and paddling their way over to America, foiling the intricate technological military hardware available on any American naval vessel, USAF unit, satellites, radar...you know...all those things we invested billions of dollars in over the years. Ha...ha...ha...
Surely when one looks at the numbers alone, and considering the loss of life on 9/11, it's astounding to think the media lapdogs and rogue administration have pulled off such a feat of malfeasance previously unheard of in America. If I remember correctly, more Americans die in vehicle accidents than airliner calamities annually. Even an occasional hijacking tragedy wouldn't tilt the scale, especially considering the procedures one now has to endure at any airport terminal prior to boarding an airliner.

Yet, we are to fear the impending "terrist" attacks soon to be levied upon the unsuspecting populace. Indeed, as of last year, World Net Daily posted an article on its website declaring that Al Qaeda successfully smuggled nukes into the US via the Mexican border and are currently planted in the cities of their choice. Interesting. How did they discover this information? The mainstream media hasn't proclaimed this knowledge to the American people. Yes, considering the source and the fact WND is a Right Wing daily dosage of Repudlickin propaganda, one thing is for certain; someone has planted those nukes and it certainly wasn't Al Qaeda. Our thanks to the Right Wing propaganda sites for revealing the agenda of their criminal accomplices.

Only one thing may get the Government off the hook. During the Cold War, Russia apparently had nuclear weapons planted in the US, ready to detonate when required in addition to the recent discovery that a number of Russian suitcase nukes have been reported as missing. Al Qaeda may have conducted business with Russia in order to acquire the nuclear devices. However, there is still the former affiliation between the CIA and Al Qaeda, so I remain suspicious.

One thing is for certain, the Right Wing pedophilia club of America needs to be removed from power once and for all, before they totally take America down into the abyss.

[disrupter]

http://newsgirl.org/images/joe_biden.jpg

May not make the US safer,

But guaranteed it will kill more soldiers,

it WILL fill more flag draped coffins with mangled human corpses.

Don't all these Chickenhawks feel so proud.