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How Much American Blood and Treasure Is A Sectarian Iraq Worth?
For an excellent illustration of the difference in candor between Gen. Petraeus and Amb. Crocker that's emerged during these three hearings, take a look at this exchange with Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME). Collins asked how much longer Americans could be expected to expend blood and treasure on a war without evident Iraqi political progress.
Petraeus responded that "if we arrive at that point a year from now, it's something I'll have to think very, very, very hard about," since America has "real national interests at stake." Even if you disagree with Petraeus' assessment, it's a fair point, and he didn't duck a hypothetical, which he easily could have done.
Crocker, by contrast, simply repeated his claim that the "trajectory" of political progress is "upward," thereby waving away the concern. "I can't say what I'll be saying in a year, or even six months from now, but I can tell you that I'll make the same objective and honest assessment I tried to do for this testimony."
Petraeus has been slippery in his own way during these hearings (see here and here for examples), but Crocker's statement that Iraqi politics is on the right course certainly doesn't instill confidence in his objectivity.
Comments (5)
Cal wrote on September 11, 2007 5:36 PM:-- "Even if you disagree with Petraeus' assessment, it's a fair point, and he didn't duck a hypothetical, which he easily could have done." --
This is only true if you think Petraeus is being honest. Just last month he was taling about a 10 year commitment.
Does anyone believe that the general will really think long and hard about the reality in Iraq a year from now, when he's busy distorting that reality today?
Redshift wrote on September 11, 2007 6:03 PM:Of course he'll think long and hard about it in a year. Just like all the Republicans were going to have to think long and hard in September if the surge hadn't produced substantial results by now.
Thinking long and hard doesn't mean there's a chance in hell they'll put the interests of the country above their political progress. But they'll think about it a lot. Really.
Anonymous wrote on September 11, 2007 6:19 PM:I think that Crocker has implied throughout the two days that the political situation is very fragile. A therapist would also emphasize whatever small positive effort has been made by the "patient".
sanfelipebob wrote on September 11, 2007 7:04 PM:"A therapist would also emphasize whatever small positive effort has been made by the "patient"."
So now W is going to have to send in shrinks to judge the progress. We are talking about hundreds of billions of dollars and thousand of American lives, not some poor soul with mental problems. This is the most absurd statement I have heard...
Anonymous wrote on September 11, 2007 7:20 PM:"Collins asked how much longer Americans could be expected to expend blood and treasure on a war without evident Iraqi political progress."
Some congress: here they are asking PERMISSION to leave Iraq from a general who is meant to be under civilian control.