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General Petraeus who wrote the Army's manuel on fighting insurgencies, wrote that you need one soldier for every 40 civilians. Therefore according to Petraeus' own manuel he needs 600,000 soldies to bring the insurgency under control. Now, that Bush has put General Petraeus in charge, Petraeus says that he can do the job with only 160,000 soldiers. I say that does indeed call for a "willing suspension of disbelief."

Muslims are afraid to admonish terrorists for fear of retaliation.

Democrats running for president are afraid to admonish MoveOn.Org for fear of retaliation.

What a sorry state of affairs.

An honorable and decent General will be loyal to his commander in chief, period, Petraues may have not vetted his speech through the white house but it was a carbon copy of Bush's statements of the last 6 months. That does not require a suspension of belief. It only requires an understanding of military officers and thier subordinate role to the president. He knows in his heart that this patient is DOA.

Thank you McCain! You remain one of the only politicians left in Washington who will tell the American people the truth regardless if we want to hear it or not. People who slam you without facts are despicable. Please don't post on here if don't actually "read" or bother to know what's going on in the world. Where to begin... Cheney doesn't profit from the war through Halliburton because he doesn't own any stock or sit on their board learn this people, the US doesn't get rich from Iraqi oil either. I don't even know how this rumor started, its almost like a lot of you think we are literally taking their oil and then selling it and keeping the profits. What Iraq does with their natural resources has nothing to do with us. If they choose to not produce one drop that's their decision. Learn your facts before posting on here.

The Hillary haters are out in force...but then so are the McCain haters. It would be nice if we could just have a campaign on the issues and not have all this character assassination.

I stand by my comments above regarding Senators McCain and Clinton and their statements.

I would add that I lived in NY for most of Senator Clinton's tenure in the Senate, voted against her in 2000, but have been pleased with her performance. Also, she has been on the Senate Armed Services Committee the whole time and the military has generally given her high marks for her work there.

Let's clear up a few misconceptions. First, Senator McCain DID attack, in the strongest terms, the Swift Boat ads and the attacks on Max Cleland. So he is entirely consistent on that score.

As to Cheney, yes, he did retire...and was given a $20 million retirement package. His net worth, derived almost entirely from Halliburton, is estimated at between $30 and $100 million.

That said, my perception is that Cheney and others were obsessed with Iraq and Saddam Hussein. It was that obsession rather than any desire for personal gain that drove them to pursue a mistaken policy against the evidence.

John Mckain continues to be a bumbling gasbag who has lost touch with American. He is a poster boy for term limitations. This is not a partisan issue as it applies to "too long in the saddle"
Dems and Repubs equally.

Anon – NY says,

"Yeah, Halliburton is Cheny's (former) company. Bush and Chey's personal private financial interests are all in oil."

- – - – -

Anon – you should know:

1) Halliburton was awarded the LOGCAP by President Clinton during the Bosnia Crisis, even though Halliburton wasn't the lowest bidder. Where was your outrage?

2) Cheney divested himself from Halliburton and does not have any financial interest in their success or failure.

But hey – don't let the truth interfere with your political agenda.

The Petraeus report goes to great lengths to paint a picture of progress in Iraq, but the truth is a far different story. As the New York Times and the Washington Post have reported, the declining number of deaths in Iraq that General Petraeus cites depends on a few accounting tricks: like not counting a death as an assassination if you're shot in the front of the head, and not counting deaths by car bombs. Deaths are also done becasue of the past ethnic cleansing and refugee camps.

So, what are we really doing in Iraq?

We're building and maintaining permanent military bases from which our military will ensure a near-monopoly of the world's second-largest oil reserve. All this... for a small cadre of corporate fatheads, including the top members of Bush, Inc. The American taxpayer will foot the bill for security in Iraq ($2 billion PER DAY!) to provide a stable working environment for Exxon-Mobil, Shell, Halliburton, not to mention the dozens of corporations feeding off the military spend teat.

Yeah, Halliburton is Cheny's (former) company. Bush and Chey's personal private financial interests are all in oil.

Clinton is right. Betray-us has cooked the books on Iraq to make it appear better that it really is. And the so called 30K troop draw down for next summer was already pre-planned, and has nothing to do with so called progress in Iraq. She's right in calling him out on this. And rethuglicans should bow their heads in shame.

Thanks, Chip of Celina, OH, for an objective and thoughtful analysis. Can anyone say anything about Iraq and not have it politicized?

Agreeing with John McCain & General Petraeus on Iraq definitely require a "willing suspension of disbelief." They wear color glasses or bury their heads in sand. The following two incidents show that McCain is in denial of the Iraq situation:

1) On March 28, 2007, McCain claimed that "General Petraeus goes out [in Baghdad] almost every day in an unarmed humvee". On March 29, CNN's John Roberts revealed the results of his investigation into this claim, "I checked with General Petraeus’s people overnight and they said he never goes out in anything less than an up-armored humvee.” On the same day, McCain also claimed that "There are neighborhoods in Baghdad where you and I could walk through those neighborhoods, today... The US is beginning to succeed in Iraq." Barry McCaffrey, on the same day, issued a report saying, “... no Iraqi government official, coalition soldier, diplomat, reporter could walk the streets of Baghdad without heavily armed protection”.

2) On April 1, 2007, McCain and other lawmakers visited a Baghdad market and claimed that "things are better and there are encouraging signs". However, the visit was accompanied by enormous security measures, as McCain wore a bullet-proof vest, and was surrounded by more than 100 troops and escorted by attack helicopters. The day after McCain's visit, 21 workers and children from the market were murdered.

Yawn.

Who cares, John. You're completely irrelevant.

Go shine Bush's shoes.

What a styrofoam nothing you've become.

This whole thing about "denouncing" that ad is ridiculous. What are they supposed to say? This is freaking America. That ad has every right to be published, and the Republicans that demand Democrats to apologize for it are only bolstering its credibility and magnifiying its influence. its the same thing they do with al Quada, making it seem like more of a threat just to scare the American people.

Clinton was right to suspend disbelief. As appointees of this President, Petraeus and Crocker merely said things that the President would want to hear and used the reduction of troops as some marker of success even though with current troop tours were going to require about that many to go home around March anyway. The whole thing was a joke, and I'm glad good Senators like Barack Obama and Joe Biden are standing up against this charade.

Hillary has good reason to believe she is being lied to by the ranking military. Take the last Commander-in-Chief for example. But she needs to understand that, unlike him, the majority of the chain of command consists of men and women of the highest integrity, dedicated to serving their country, and appointed to their position on merit.

tis war is wrong and unjust mccain wake up and smell the coffee!!!! this is the reason your political campain support is going down the tubes because you still hold a firm stance on the iraq issue, all we hear about every day is how bad the war is in iraq, its time to bring the innocent troops home to where they need to be!!! and time for innocent iraqis to stop dying because we are there for no cause!!!!!!!!! i am canadian american and i can personally tell you the world support for this war really never existed!!!!! and its time to end it and yes run because if america runs from and cuts its losses than maybe it will possibly regain some respect from the world point of view again.

Shim and Ray, I watched testimony two days. General's report is for Bush, there's no any progress in Iraq, what did all of Generals did over 5 years, Bush put the new commander and said we need the time, that time kills more our young soldiers, 2008 Summer, that time is just for Bush to finish his term and leaves all of mess to the next President. Bush is chicken and scared now, so used new General to play B-C's game. Hillary Clinton did right thing for Americans, she is the only one strong person to tell the truth to Republican. Rudy and McCain have no brain at all so they are dull headed.

After the McCain song bomb bomb bomb...bomb bomb...Iran....who cares what this moron says...his campain is over...

I love how the dems attack the commander and ambassador who are actually there on the ground in Iraq, witnessing events first hand. Who's got a better handle on the issues, the people who see it for themselves or those who see it covered by the liberal media? Plain and simple – Hillary Clinton does not want Iraq to go well. If she makes it seem good, then there goes her chance to seize power by tricking voters.

I find it disturbing that McCain and Guilani find it appropriate to blame Hillary Clinton for moveon.org's ad. Did the Republican's condemn the Swift Boat veterans that jumped all over Kerry in the last election? No they did not. So they are getting what they gave or did not give. Too bad.

Ray, Rochester ~ "Do any of you Hillay lovers honestly think this cold and calculating woman did not know everything about Hsu…a man who gave her close to One Million dollars over the years? Please."

...as opposed to the millions Jack Abramoff dontated to the Republicans, some still in office? Please.

Petraeus stated that he could not predict the outcome in Iraq.That should have been accompanied with his resignation!His utter failure to foresee the consequences of his own campaign is a reason to dismiss him entirely.What kind of fool listens to a presentation of fact coupled with a statement of ignorance like that and comes away with a good impression?McCain supporting him shows what a fool he is.The military leaders are not to promote the political agenda of a few right-wing nuts.Their job is to fight wars,not perpetuate them at the expense of both our country and theirs.The taxpayer's dime is not the allowance of destruction for the pentagon.Not to mention the trillions of dollars we borrowed from china to pay for it.I don't think there's much chance to nationalize the red's personal assets to pay that off.Maybe we can settle for a red state,like Kansas.

All but calling the general a liar is just another example of how little respect Senator Clinton has for members of the American military services. It is very consistent with her insistence as First Lady that military staffers in her presence wear civilian clothes instead of their military uniforms. Military members and their families have gotten a pretty clear picture over the years of how little respect she has for the honor of the American soldier/airman/Marine. God save us from such a Commander in Chief.

Let the republicans have there war. Let them have there wild dreams. All the democrats need to do is make sure the truth that democrats dont have enuf power in senate to stop repulican sentors and the president. Then when election day is here. we will see a more powerfull repeat of the 1984 election. except all the states will be blue and all 22 republican senetors be looking for a new job. That be a real nice reality check to wake em out of their blind faith stay the course america behind us fanticies.

How to crush the republican party.
Let the republicans have there war. Let them have there wild dreams. All the democrats need to do is make sure the truth that democrats dont have enuf power in senate to stop repulican sentors and the president. Then when election day is here. we will see a more powerfull repeat of the 1984 election. except all the states will be blue and all 22 republican senetors be looking for a new job. That be a real nice reality check to wake em out of their blind faith stay the course america behind us fanticies. Then We can begin to work on the real threats to america that will displace millions or even kill millions IE GLOBAL WARMING watch a real movie based by only facts that no sciencetist disputes uncoinvient truth. (my spelling sux, the heat in Iraq fring my brane)God Bless America

I am a lifelong Republican, US Navy veteran, and worker for McCain in 2000. I agree with the Senator that the MoveOn ad was contemptible.

It is just as bad as the attacks by the Bush campaign on Senator McCain in 2000, against Max Cleland, and against John Kerry. I would put Michael Moore's propaganda in the same category.

These slanderous attacks on individual character of which both sides have been guilty wound our national polity. I agree with Senator McCain that Senator Clinton and all other candidates should condemn such tactics.

I disagree with the Senator and Mayor Giuliani in their condemnation of Senator Clinton's remarks to General Petraeus. If Senator Clinton doesn't have enough information to make intelligent criticisms of the General's presentation, that is a problem that needs to be fixed. The General's presentation is, however, open to question. His optimism is not shared by many outside of the Administration. In fact, even Ambassador Crocker's presentation seemed to belie the General's optimism.

In short, while it is wrong to malign anyone's character, it is perfectly reasonable to question the reasonableness of the General's report. This is especially true given this Administration's past lack of veracity.

Looks the Republicans are scared!!!

Hahahaha

GO HILLARY!!! 2009 can't come fast enough.

Also why do the same people get on her to attack Hillary? Get a life.

Let the republicans have there war. Let them have there wild dreams. All the democrats need to do is make sure the truth that democrats dont have enuf power in senate to stop repulican sentors and the president. Then when election day is here. we will see a more powerfull repeat of the 1984 election. except all the states will be blue and all 22 republican senetors be looking for a new job. That be a real nice reality check to wake em out of their blind faith stay the course america behind us fanticies.

I watched a good portion of General Petraeus' testimony. He has an incredible command of the factional positions (Sunni/Shia/Kurd/AQI/other insurgents) in each region of Iraq. He also has in-depth knowledge of many personalities operating 'in-theatre'. He understands that one solution that may work in Anbar may not be transportable to other provinces. Congress would do well to listen to his great insight and respect his knowledge as a resource that it could use to come together and form a workable solution to the situation the country finds itself in. Anyone listening closely (or at least giving him a chance to speak) would see he advocates that the Iraqi parliament needs to get off the dime, that the final solution stands with the Iraqis.

Instead, they use it to grandstand and lecture party line talking points and not leave their minds open to how we could leverage his knowledge to a beneficial end.

Barbara Boxer epitomized the circus. She went on a rant that used ALL of her time and then asked the general to respond in writing to some baseless dumbwitted question she blurted out at the end.

The Republicans were really no better, tossing softball questions and making him feel at home. It was definitley cordial, but they were (mostly) trying to get him to back their position with his answers.

No wonder their approval rating is dismal!

Regards,

The Republican political strategy for the 2008 election is insane. Why constantly criticize people who have the same point of view as the OVERWHELMING MAJORITY of the American people when it comes to the war? A majority of Americans didn't even believe that Petraeus would be completely objective even before the testimony began.

A real "willing suspension of disbelief" is Hillary saying she had no idea Norman Hsu was a felon on the run. Yeah right.

Do any of you Hillay lovers honestly think this cold and calculating woman did not know everything about Hsu...a man who gave her close to One Million dollars over the years? Please.

She knew Hsu inside and out and willingly took his money because she cares nothing about truth and accountability. She only cares about winning the election. That's why she ran for senate in New York. She knew this liberal state gave her the best shot to run for president later.

Hillary cares nothing about the residents of New York. She is a worthless hypocrite.

Kick her butt John!!

I agree Senator McCain's statement.
Senator Clinton overacted against our faithful General Petraeus viciously.
We should not choose to give up the peaceful victory in Iraq.
Please respect and listen to the field General's opinions about war affairs.

Does anyone care what no-brain McCain has to say at this point? Apparently not since this is the first comment. Like McCain and his fraudulent lovely stroll through an Iraq market while snipers and helicopters protected him off camera has any right to criticize Clinton's comments about suspending disbelief. Taking McCain seriously requires the same willing suspension.

Senator McCain, you have the experience and credentials to speak on the matter of General Petreaus. Hillary is a shell of a candidate, speaking and acting only to garner whatever votes she can pander.

A vote for Hillary = a vote to lose.